The Best Chicken Parmesan (Parmigiana)

Learn how to make my family's chicken parmesan recipe! An Italian-American classic made of tender breaded chicken topped with rich tomato sauce, melted cheese, and herbs. My family has enjoyed this recipe for so many years, and it is undoubtedly the best I've ever had. Whether you like the chicken baked to use less oil or pan-fried like the traditional version, this recipe has a method for both.From my family to yours!

Recipe by A Simple Palate on September 27, 2023

Prep time: PT30M

Cook time: PT15M

Total time: PT45M

Rating

4.95 stars (102 reviews)

Keywords

authentic chicken parmesan, chicken parmigiana, easy chicken dinner

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts, (sliced in half length-wise to create 6 cutlets)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (can also use gluten-free flour blend or white whole wheat)
3 eggs, whisked
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated & finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, shredded
1/2 tsp (each) salt & pepper
2 tsp Italian herb blend ((thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary))
1 tsp garlic powder
6 slices Mozzarella
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
1/3 cup Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Cuisine

American
Italian

Steps

Preheat oven to 425F
Tenderize chicken: place chicken cutlets/breasts in a large ziplock bag or between two sheets of plastic wrap. Firmly pound with a rolling pin or the smooth side of a meat hammer (chicken thickness should be 1/2 inch). After tenderizing, pat them dry with paper towels.
Breadcrumbs: In a shallow dish, mix all of breadcrumb ingredients together.
Assembly line: Set up a line of shallow bowls/dishes with flour, whisked eggs, and breadcrumbs. Add a pinch of salt to both the flour and whisked eggs.
Bread the chicken: First, coat the chicken on both sides in the flour, then shake off any excess flour that isn't sticking. Transfer to whisked eggs, dipping both sides of the chicken. Then dip into the breadcrumbs. Use your hands to gently pack the breadcrumbs onto each side of the chicken. Transfer the finished cutlet to a sheetpan lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all the cutlets have been breaded.
Brown the chicken: Heat a cast-iron skillet on LOW to MEDIUM heat. Then add 3 Tablespoons of good-quality cooking olive oil and brown chicken for about 2 to 3 minutes on both sides until the breading is golden. Do this in batches until all the cutlets are browned, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
Layer and bake: arrange the browned cutlets in a large metal baking dish or on a sheet pan. Layer first with mozzarella slices, a spoonful of tomato sauce over top, and a generous dusting of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Bake uncovered in the oven for 10-14 minutes - the bake time will largely depend on the thickness of your chicken cutlets. For thinner/smaller cutlets, aim for 10 minutes; for thicker cutlets, 14 minutes. Broil for the last minute of your bake time to melt the cheese and get a nice browning on top.
Instructions for Baked Chicken Parmesan
- If you would like to use less oil, use this baking method instead! I love making chicken parmesan this way and the results are almost identical to pan-frying. Baked method: preheat oven to 450F. Follow steps 2-5 above, then after breading the chicken, lay the cutlets on a pan lined with parchment paper. Spray the chicken with olive oil, or brush with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, if you feel the bottom is cooking too fast you can flip the chicken halfway through the bake time. Then remove from oven and layer each cutlet with mozzarella, sauce, and Parmigiano and bake for 5 additional minutes. Broil on HIGH for the last minute for the cheese to brown. Serve with fresh basil!

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 chicken parmesan cutlet
Calories: 454 kcal
Carbohydrates: 31.7 g
Protein: 32 g
Fat: 21.3 g
Cholesterol: 145 mg
Sodium: 495 mg
Sugar: 3 g

Reviews

Bethani on 2026-08-04 (5 stars):
I followed this recipe to a t and it was wonderful. Thank you!
Mary on 2026-07-27 (5 stars):
Simple but so good!
David on 2026-07-15 (5 stars):
I fancy myself as a foodie/pretty good cook. This recipe was relish!
Isabel on 2026-06-23 (5 stars):
Never made this before and I was scared, but this recipe had such clear instructions, the chicken was very good and not dry. I am very glad I went with this recipe
Rob on 2026-04-23 (5 stars):
I followed your recipe and all I can say is WOW! The tenderness of the chicken, the crunch of the panko, and the herbs that you recommend really created a delicious meal! Thank you for sharing this easy to prepare recipe. Bravo!
Katherine on 2026-04-20 (5 stars):
I never leave reviews but this recipe was absolutely delicious! I even got my super fussy 10 year old to eat it! I only used mature cheddar in it rather than the other cheeses and it worked so well. I'm definitely making this again!
Nicole on 2026-03-08 (5 stars):
This was a great recipe. I was planning to use the fry method, but saw several commenters mention they used the baked version and it was just as crispy. So I decided to save the hassle and tried baking only. I did have to flip my chicken halfway through, as the bottom was crisping up faster than the top. Will definitely use this recipe again.
Sherri on 2026-03-01 (5 stars):
My first time to make chicken parmesan, made it for company, and was a little nervous. It was wonderful! As good as the claims; the instructions were clear and helpful. This recipe is now on our list of "will definitely cook this again!"
Kimberly on 2026-03-01 (4 stars):
The recipe is very delicious but one quick question. Was baking on 450 degrees a misprint? I had my chicken in the oven for 10 minutes on 450 and it was done. Had I left it in 30 minutes as the recipe stated my chicken would have been burnt to a crisp. Just curious.
Nate on 2026-02-20 (5 stars):
Tried this several times with little variations.. It always turned out great.
Chris on 2026-02-16 (5 stars):
The amount for breadcrumbs are extremely excessive the 3 Large chicken breast cut in half I easily could have used only 1 cup maybe less. Flour I had a little extra but not too much, and 3 eggs were about perfect amount. Overall easy recipe, Turned out good and taste great.
Ginette on 2026-02-14 (5 stars):
That was a banger! I'd never made chicken Parm before, and you made it so easy :) using the jarred sauce was perfect, used a simple Prego and was worried it wouldn't be nice enough... It was actually ideal. I did not make my own breadcrumbs, and used panko instead. I also baked mine, and rubbed my baking sheet with basil infused oil to stop the sticking. It makes up a bit for not having any fresh basil. 1000% making this again. Will be perfect for when I host my family for supper. Served with a little linguini and some extra warmed sauce, and will have a leafy green salad on the side.
Annie on 2026-02-12 (5 stars):
A Great Recipe🤤. Tasted very good 👍 I made it twice...pan fried the chicken 1st & baked the 2nd time. I prefer the bake recipe better. Thank you. My family loved it too.👍🤤 Annie.
Deborah on 2026-02-09 (5 stars):
My sister is on a low salt diet, so I just subbed salt free tomato sauce, used a bit less parmesan. I followed the frying method, then baked it. Wonderful. I've tried some other recipes but this is the best!
Nikki Martel on 2026-02-03 (5 stars):
I needed dinner fast. Used boneless skinless chicken thighs and oh dang. It was quick easy and super tasty 💚. Wish I took a picture💚as my 2 year old granddaughter old say, “Yummy!!!”😋
Melinda on 2026-01-30 (5 stars):
Easy to assemble and prepare. Family loved it. Served it with a salad and side of pasta noodles. Outstanding