BEST Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Crazy for Crust (2024)

Home | Recipes | Savory | Easy Chicken Parmesan

Written ByDorothy Kern

Updated OnFebruary 13, 2024

Jump to RecipeLeave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.

Easy chicken Parmesan– this quick dinner recipe is totally foolproof. The chicken comes out moist every time! It’s the BEST baked chicken Parmesan recipe we’ve ever had and it’s my husband’s favorite.

This is a tried and true recipe I’ve been making for almost 20 years and I know you’ll love it as much as we do.

BEST Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Crazy for Crust (2)

The BEST Easy Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients in Easy Chicken Parmesan
How to make Foolproof Chicken Parmesan
Expert Tips
FAQ
Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe Recipe
Other Easy Chicken Recipes

The BEST Easy Chicken Parmesan

I’ve been making this baked chicken parm recipe for weeknight dinners for a long time and we love it because it’s totally foolproof.

Why you’ll love this recipe

It’s baked, not fried, so it has less calories
It’s never dry! Dry chicken is the worst, which is why I like this easy chicken Parmesan recipe so much.
Works EVERY time
Done in just about 30 minutes!

BEST Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Crazy for Crust (3)

Ingredients in Easy Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Breasts: I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts. When I can find them, I’ll buy thin sliced so they aren’t as bulky and oddly shaped. If using regular chicken breasts, be sure to cut them so they are uniform in size and thickness (this way they will cook the same). You can also use chicken cutlets.
Seasonings: You can add some Garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian herbs.
Breadcrumbs: You can use regular bread crumbs, Italian breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs. I don’t do the double dip with flour and egg to make it a bit healthier. You don’t even need an egg – the breadcrumbs stick just fine to the chicken.
Parmesan Cheese: I usually just use the grated kind, but you could freshly grate it too.
Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite jarred sauce or homemade tomato sauce. I love using my homemade marinara sauce!
Mozzarella Cheese: Shred it yourself for best melting results! Pre-shredded cheese has a coating that makes it not melt as pretty.

BEST Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Crazy for Crust (4)

BEST Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Crazy for Crust (5)

How to make Foolproof Chicken Parmesan

I like to make sure my chicken breasts are uniform in size. Slice each breast in half lengthwise to get equal sized pieces. This ensures they’ll bake evenly.
Bread the chicken, as it is in traditional chicken parmesan. Mix the breadcrumbs with spices in a shallow bowl or pie plate and dip chicken in the breadcrumb mixture. The breading sticks fine without egg, which reduces a step.
Bake the breaded chicken at a high temperature, sealing in moisture and baking it quickly, which gives the chicken a crispy crust.
At the end of baking, right when regular chicken recipes would be getting dry, you pour pasta sauce and sprinkle the cheese over the chicken. The covering of sauce helps the chicken finish cooking yet keeps it nice and juicy.

BEST Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Crazy for Crust (7)

Tip From Dorothy

Expert Tips

Add salt and pepper to taste after cooking. Often pasta sauces have lots of salt, which is why I don’t season the chicken itself.
Making sure you have evenly sized chicken breasts is really important. Be sure to cut them to be similar size and thickness, or place them in a plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin to even them out.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator or in the freezer (but freezing will make the chicken not as crispy).
I’ve also made this in the instant pot!

FAQ

How do you keep breading on chicken parmesan?

In traditional recipes, you’d dredge the chicken in egg wash so the breadcrumbs will stick. In my recipe I skip that step and just press the chicken into them to make them stick.

How to reheat chicken parmesan

This is great reheated in the microwave or you can heat it in the oven at 350°F.

Is this a ww chicken parmesan recipe?

It definitely can be! Because there is so little breading it’s relatively low carb, and you can use low-fat cheese to lower the ww points or macros.

Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

4.77 from 17 votes

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 full breasts)
▢ ¾ cup breadcrumbs (can reduce to ½ to lower the carbs)
▢ ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
▢ 1 cup pasta sauce any flavor
▢ 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
▢ Pasta for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray a 9×9” pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Depending on the sizes of your chicken breasts, slice each longwise into 4-6 ounce pieces. Place breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a shallow dish and stir.
Place each chicken breast into the breadcrumb mixture to thoroughly coat both sides. Place in pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they start to look done and crispy.
Remove hot pan from the oven and top with pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through. Serve over pasta, if desired. We also like to serve this with just a salad for a lower carb meal.

Recipe Video

Recipe Nutrition

Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Author Dorothy Kern

Did you try this recipe? Click the stars to rate the recipe below

What to serve with Chicken Parmesan

Serve the chicken by itself with a vegetable, like air fryer broccoli or green beans.
Serve it with extra sauce over spaghetti or zucchini noodles.
Make a side of breadsticks or dinner rolls for a side dish.

Other Easy Chicken Recipes

Instant Pot Chicken is another quick weeknight meal
Orange Chicken is one of my favorites!
Chicken Pot Pie

Last Updated on February 13, 2024

Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

Learn More About Me

24 Comments

I don’t see eggs in the ingredients to coat the breadcrumbs.
Reply
Chicken is always my favorite! Thank you for sharing the recipe! Can’t wait to try this chicken parmesan.
Reply
This is the best Chicken Parmesan recipe I’ve ever ate. I made it tonight and it was a hit with my family.
Reply
Hi, do you dip the chicken in egg before coating it with the bread crumb/parmesan mixture?
Reply
Yes that’s what we do
So good an sooooo easy!
Reply
So easy and delicious! Chicken came our really moist
Reply
Chicken, Veal, and Meatball Parm
In Italy, the parmigiana treatment is given to eggplants, not chicken or other meats.
Reply
Easy and very good!
Reply
Very Very good..very easy!!…
Reply
at which stage do you recommend freezing? Looks great!
Reply
Once it’s all done you can freeze it (once it’s cooled). Then let defrost and heat!
Reply
Chicken Parmesan looking spicy. This is perfect for weekend. I loved it.
http://topfreetorrentsites.com/
Reply
Comment navigation
Older Comments
Featured In
'),b.insertAdjacentHTML(d,e));return document.getElementById(a)};c.prototype._repeatDynamicAds=function(b){var a=[],d=this._removeRecipeCapExperiment.result&&"Recipe"===b.location?99:this.locationMaxLazySequence.get(b.location),e=b.lazy?u(d,0):0;d=b.max;var f=b.lazyMax;e=Math.max(d,0===e&&b.lazy?d+f:Math.min(Math.max(e-b.sequence+1,0),d+f));for(f=0;f
=d;a.push(y(y({},b),{sequence:g,lazy:h}))}return a};c.prototype._locationEnabled=function(b){b=this._clsOptions.enabledLocations.includes(b.location);var a=this._clsOptions.disableAds&&this._clsOptions.disableAds.all||document.body.classList.contains("adthrive-disable-all"),d=!document.body.classList.contains("adthrive-disable-content")&&!this._clsOptions.disableAds.reasons.has("content_plugin");return b&&!a&&d};return c}(),Za=function(c){function b(a,d){var e=c.call(this,a,"ClsVideoInsertion")||this;e._videoConfig=a;e._clsOptions=d;e._IN_POST_SELECTOR=".adthrive-video-player";e._WRAPPER_BAR_HEIGHT=36;e._playersAddedFromPlugin=[];d.removeVideoTitleWrapper&&(e._WRAPPER_BAR_HEIGHT=0);return e}v(b,c);b.prototype.init=function(){this._initializePlayers()};b.prototype._wrapJWPlayerWithCLS=function(a,d,e){void 0===e&&(e=0);return a.parentNode?(d=this._createGenericCLSWrapper(.5625*a.offsetWidth,d,e),a.parentNode.insertBefore(d,a),d.appendChild(a),d):null};b.prototype._createGenericCLSWrapper=function(a,d,e){var f=document.createElement("div");f.id="cls-video-container-".concat(d);f.className="adthrive";f.style.minHeight="".concat(a+e,"px");return f};b.prototype._getTitleHeight=function(a){a.innerText="Title";a.style.visibility="hidden";document.body.appendChild(a);var d=window.getComputedStyle(a),e=parseInt(d.height,10),f=parseInt(d.marginTop,10);d=parseInt(d.marginBottom,10);document.body.removeChild(a);return Math.min(e+d+f,50)};b.prototype._initializePlayers=function(){var a=document.querySelectorAll(this._IN_POST_SELECTOR);a.length&&this._initializeRelatedPlayers(a);this._shouldRunAutoplayPlayers()&&this._determineAutoplayPlayers()};b.prototype._createStationaryRelatedPlayer=function(a,d,e){var f="mobile"===this._device?[400,225]:[640,360],g=G.Video_In_Post_ClicktoPlay_SoundOn;d&&a.mediaId&&(e="".concat(a.mediaId,"_").concat(e),d=this._wrapJWPlayerWithCLS(d,e),this._playersAddedFromPlugin.push(a.mediaId),d&&this._clsOptions.setInjectedVideoSlots({playerId:a.playerId,playerName:g,playerSize:f,element:d,type:"stationaryRelated"}))};b.prototype._createStickyRelatedPlayer=function(a,d){var e="mobile"===this._device?[400,225]:[640,360],f=G.Video_Individual_Autoplay_SOff;this._stickyRelatedOnPage=!0;this._videoConfig.mobileStickyPlayerOnPage="mobile"===this._device;if(d&&a.position&&a.mediaId){var g=document.createElement("div");d.insertAdjacentElement(a.position,g);d=document.createElement("h3");d.style.margin="10px 0";d=this._getTitleHeight(d);d=this._wrapJWPlayerWithCLS(g,a.mediaId,this._WRAPPER_BAR_HEIGHT+d);this._playersAddedFromPlugin.push(a.mediaId);d&&this._clsOptions.setInjectedVideoSlots({playlistId:a.playlistId,playerId:a.playerId,playerSize:e,playerName:f,element:g,type:"stickyRelated"})}};b.prototype._createPlaylistPlayer=function(a,d){var e=a.playlistId,f="mobile"===this._device?G.Video_Coll_SOff_Smartphone:G.Video_Collapse_Autoplay_SoundOff,g="mobile"===this._device?[400,225]:[640,360];this._videoConfig.mobileStickyPlayerOnPage=!0;var h=document.createElement("div");d.insertAdjacentElement(a.position,h);d=this._wrapJWPlayerWithCLS(h,e,this._WRAPPER_BAR_HEIGHT);this._playersAddedFromPlugin.push("playlist-".concat(e));d&&this._clsOptions.setInjectedVideoSlots({playlistId:a.playlistId,playerId:a.playerId,playerSize:g,playerName:f,element:h,type:"stickyPlaylist"})};b.prototype._isVideoAllowedOnPage=function(){var a=this._clsOptions.disableAds;if(a&&a.video){var d="";a.reasons.has("video_tag")?d="video tag":a.reasons.has("video_plugin")?d="video plugin":a.reasons.has("video_page")&&(d="command queue");q.error(d?"ClsVideoInsertionMigrated":"ClsVideoInsertion","isVideoAllowedOnPage",Error("DBP: Disabled by publisher via ".concat(d||"other")));return!1}return this._clsOptions.videoDisabledFromPlugin?!1:!0};return b}(function(c){function b(a,d){var e=c.call(this)||this;e._videoConfig=a;e._component=d;e._stickyRelatedOnPage=!1;e._contextualMediaIds=[];a=void 0;void 0===a&&(a=navigator.userAgent);a=/Windows NT|Macintosh/i.test(a);e._device=a?"desktop":"mobile";e._potentialPlayerMap=e.setPotentialPlayersMap();return e}v(b,c);b.prototype.setPotentialPlayersMap=function(){var a=this._videoConfig.players||[],d=this._filterPlayerMap();a=a.filter(function(e){return"stationaryRelated"===e.type&&e.enabled});d.stationaryRelated=a;return this._potentialPlayerMap=d};b.prototype._filterPlayerMap=function(){var a=this,d=this._videoConfig.players,e={stickyRelated:[],stickyPlaylist:[],stationaryRelated:[]};return d&&d.length?d.filter(function(f){var g;return null===(g=f.devices)||void 0===g?void 0:g.includes(a._device)}).reduce(function(f,g){f[g.type]||(q.event(a._component,"constructor","Unknown Video Player Type detected",g.type),f[g.type]=[]);g.enabled&&f[g.type].push(g);return f},e):e};b.prototype._checkPlayerSelectorOnPage=function(a){var d=this;a=this._potentialPlayerMap[a].map(function(e){return{player:e,playerElement:d._getPlacementElement(e)}});return a.length?a[0]:{player:null,playerElement:null}};b.prototype._getOverrideElement=function(a,d,e){a&&d?(e=document.createElement("div"),d.insertAdjacentElement(a.position,e)):(d=this._checkPlayerSelectorOnPage("stickyPlaylist"),a=d.player,d=d.playerElement,a&&d&&(e=document.createElement("div"),d.insertAdjacentElement(a.position,e)));return e};b.prototype._shouldOverrideElement=function(a){a=a.getAttribute("override-embed");return"true"===a||"false"===a?"true"===a:this._videoConfig.contextualSettings?this._videoConfig.contextualSettings.overrideEmbedLocation:!1};b.prototype._checkPageSelector=function(a,d,e){void 0===e&&(e=[]);return a&&d&&0===e.length?("/"!==window.location.pathname&&q.event("VideoUtils","getPlacementElement",Error("PSNF: ".concat(a," does not exist on the page"))),!1):!0};b.prototype._getElementSelector=function(a,d,e){if(d&&d.length>e)return d[e];q.event("VideoUtils","getPlacementElement",Error("ESNF: ".concat(a," does not exist on the page")));return null};b.prototype._getPlacementElement=function(a){var d=a.pageSelector,e=a.elementSelector;a=a.skip;var f=da(d),g=f.valid,h=f.elements;f=S(f,["valid","elements"]);var k=ca(e),l=k.valid,p=k.elements;k=S(k,["valid","elements"]);return""===d||g?l?this._checkPageSelector(d,g,h)?this._getElementSelector(e,p,a)||null:null:(q.error("VideoUtils","getPlacementElement",Error("".concat(e," is not a valid selector")),k),null):(q.error("VideoUtils","getPlacementElement",Error("".concat(d," is not a valid selector")),f),null)};b.prototype._getEmbeddedPlayerType=function(a){(a=a.getAttribute("data-player-type"))&&"default"!==a||(a=this._videoConfig.contextualSettings?this._videoConfig.contextualSettings.defaultPlayerType:"static");this._stickyRelatedOnPage&&(a="static");return a};b.prototype._getMediaId=function(a){return(a=a.getAttribute("data-video-id"))?(this._contextualMediaIds.push(a),a):!1};b.prototype._createRelatedPlayer=function(a,d,e,f){"collapse"===d?this._createCollapsePlayer(a,e):"static"===d&&this._createStaticPlayer(a,e,f)};b.prototype._createCollapsePlayer=function(a,d){var e=this._checkPlayerSelectorOnPage("stickyRelated"),f=e.player;e=e.playerElement;var g=f?f:this._potentialPlayerMap.stationaryRelated[0];g&&g.playerId?(this._shouldOverrideElement(d)&&(d=this._getOverrideElement(f,e,d)),d=document.querySelector("#cls-video-container-".concat(a," > div"))||d,this._createStickyRelatedPlayer(y(y({},g),{mediaId:a}),d)):q.error(this._component,"_createCollapsePlayer","No video player found")};b.prototype._createStaticPlayer=function(a,d,e){this._potentialPlayerMap.stationaryRelated.length&&this._potentialPlayerMap.stationaryRelated[0].playerId?this._createStationaryRelatedPlayer(y(y({},this._potentialPlayerMap.stationaryRelated[0]),{mediaId:a}),d,e):q.error(this._component,"_createStaticPlayer","No video player found")};b.prototype._shouldRunAutoplayPlayers=function(){return this._isVideoAllowedOnPage()&&(this._potentialPlayerMap.stickyRelated.length||this._potentialPlayerMap.stickyPlaylist.length)?!0:!1};b.prototype._determineAutoplayPlayers=function(){var a=this._component,d="VideoManagerComponent"===a,e=this._config;if(this._stickyRelatedOnPage)q.event(a,"stickyRelatedOnPage",d&&{device:e&&e.context.device,isDesktop:this._device}||{});else{var f=this._checkPlayerSelectorOnPage("stickyPlaylist"),g=f.player;f=f.playerElement;g&&g.playerId&&g.playlistId&&f?this._createPlaylistPlayer(g,f):q.event(a,"noStickyPlaylist",d&&{vendor:"none",device:e&&e.context.device,isDesktop:this._device}||{})}};b.prototype._initializeRelatedPlayers=function(a){for(var d=new Map,e=0;e

BEST Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Crazy for Crust (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between chicken parmigiana and chicken parmesan? ›

What Is the Difference Between Chicken Parmesan and Chicken Parmigiana? Brace yourself for this one—they're the same dish! Chicken Parmesan and chicken Parmigiana are just different names for the same exact recipe. And, with a name like “chicken Parmigiana”, you might assume that this recipe is Italian.

What is the best oil to fry chicken parmesan? ›

Vegetable oil: This oil has been a staple in almost all American households. Since this has a neutral taste, it is great for frying, sautéing, grilling, and baking. Peanut oil: Mostly used in Asian cuisine and industries for bulk frying, it is a great option to add extra flavor to your breaded chicken cutlets.

Know More ›

Why does the breading fall off my chicken parm? ›

You Don't Start Dry

The first step to breading chicken is crucial; make sure the chicken is completely dry before starting the dredging process. Using a paper towel, pat the meat dry on all sides. Excess moisture will cause the flour to get soggy and thus will not adhere properly to the chicken.

Why does chicken parm use mozzarella? ›

Jokes aside, chicken parm has a long, complicated history argued by many historians for different reasons. Believe it or not, there was not readily accessible chicken in Parma, Italy, so the idea started with thin slices of eggplant covered in Neapolitan tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Get More Info Here ›

What do Italians call chicken parm? ›

Chicken parmesan or chicken parmigiana (Italian: pollo alla parmigiana) is a dish that consists of breaded chicken breast covered in tomato sauce and mozzarella, Parmesan, or provolone cheese.

Keep Reading ›

Do Italians like chicken parmesan? ›

Despite being a staple of Italian-American cuisine, “chicken parmesan” is nowhere to be found in Italy. Instead, Italians nosh on parmigiana – eggplant layered with tomato sauce and cheese.

Discover More ›

Why is my chicken parm not crispy? ›

To maximize crispiness, I use panko breadcrumbs and fry the chicken in a little more oil (about an inch) than you might normally use when making parm. As soon as the cutlets are nicely browned and cooked all the way though, drain them on a rack or paper towels. They're crunchy; this will help them stay that way.

Learn More ›

How do you keep Parmesan from clumping in Alfredo? ›

Adding the sauce slowly, bit-by-bit, as you stir the liquid and pasta in your pot will make the cheese melt evenly and avoid clumping.

Get More Info ›

Is it better to fry chicken in butter or olive oil? ›

Think vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. Don't use olive oil or butter—they both have lower smoke points. The ideal temperature for frying chicken is 350˚ to 365˚, and you'll want to make sure that you bring the oil back to temperature between batches.

Discover More ›

What oil makes chicken the crispiest? ›

Lard is a great choice for frying chicken because it gives your chicken an excellent flavor and unparalleled crispy crust.

Get More Info ›

Is vegetable oil or olive oil better for chicken parmesan? ›

If you can't find the thinly sliced cutlets at your grocery store, buy three regular chicken breasts, slice them into cutlets so you have six pieces, then pound them out as thin as possible. You can use vegetable or canola oil here. Olive oil is possible too and I made it like this for years, but I prefer canola.

Learn More ›

How do you keep chicken from falling off when breading? ›

Flouring the chicken before dipping it in egg wash helps the sticky coating adhere to the dry pieces of meat, and the gluey egg and flour combo in turn helps the breadcrumbs to stick better.

Read The Full Story ›

Why does my breading always fall off? ›

It may be too watery. Dry the chicken first with paper towels. It helps to then coat it with a thin layer of flour, then in well-beaten egg whites which will help the coating stick. Then coat with breading and press on it lightly to help it stick.

What makes breading stick? ›

Now, your flour-dredged chicken needs to pass through something wet so that the breading will stick. Use beaten egg, any kind of milk, or a combination of both, and then dip the pieces into the breading.

Tell Me More ›