This Chicken Parmesan recipe is an easy dinner you can throw together any night of the week! With a few simple ingredients, this crispy coated chicken dish is ready in minutes!
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Are you ready for another easy weeknight meal? We've been making this Chicken Parmesan since the first year I started blogging! How long ago was that you ask? Almost 15 years! FIFTEEN!
About this Recipe
Even after all of the other delicious dinner recipes we've come across over the years, this Chicken Parmesan continues to appear in our meal plan rotation frequently because it's simple and we love it. The recipe was given to me through an email recipe chain, and we have tweaked it to our liking.
Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this easy weeknight dinner. All items are easily found at most grocery stores. Below is a list of ingredients you need to make this chicken Parmesan recipe.
Grocery List for Chicken Parmesan:
- Chicken breasts - Grab three skinless, boneless breasts and slice them horizontally in half so that you now have six thin fillets.
- Unsalted butter - You will melt this! If you only have salted, just reduce the salt in the recipe.
- Seasoned salt - Season All, Lawry's, etc.
- Ground mustard - Not liquid mustard, dry - found in the spice aisle.
- Worcestershire sauce - My favorite is Lea and Perrin's, but your favorite will do!
- Dry bread crumbs - I use store bought in a tub, any brand. Panko is fine, too.
- Parmesan - Get the tub of grated, or use freshly grated.
- French fried onion rings - Again, store brand is juuuust fine.
- Fresh parsley - Grab 1 bunch and chop it.
- Thin spaghetti - Or regular. I just prefer thin or angel hair with my Chicken Parm.
- Marinara - Or your favorite spaghetti or pasta sauce.
Click here or scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe ingredients and instructions.
Instructions
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the step-by-step on how to make Chicken Parmesan. The general steps are as follows:
- Combine the melted butter and seasonings in a shallow bowl.
- Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, onions and parsley in a separate shallow bowl.
- Coat the chicken in the wet mixture, then into the dry mixture.
- Place on foil-lined baking sheet, lightly greased with nonstick spray.
- Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Flip and bake an additional 10 minutes until crispy.
- Serve with prepared spaghetti and marinara.
Can it get easier?? You probably have most of the ingredients on hand, too!
Serving Suggestions
Mozzarella Cheese: Most chicken parmesan recipes are topped with melted mozzarella. I leave it off because the chicken coating is so flavorful deeming the mozzarella unnecessary. In fact, I think it takes away from the flavor. Plus, who needs the extra calories? BUT, I did include instructions in the recipe card below if you have to have it.
Pasta: My preference is thin spaghetti, but use whatever pasta you'd like. If you want, chop up the cooked chicken into bite sized and toss it into cooked rotini or penne pasta with the sauce for a different kind of dish.
Sauce: In the last few years, we've been much better at checking the ingredients on our food labels. We're not perfect at this, but anytime we can avoid sugar in our sauces, we do. I'm willing to spend an extra two dollars on a better sauce with better ingredients. Usually at least one of these options is on sale, too. Simply Ragu has been a top pick for us with ingredients, flavor and price.
Top Tips and Tricks
- This recipe calls for crushed French fried onions. Place French fried onions into baggy and crush with hands.
- Do not overcook. Check the temperature using an instant read thermometer to make sure you remove the chicken from the oven at the right time.
- To prevent the coating on the chicken from becoming soggy, we flip it for the last 10 minutes in the oven.
- After slicing the chicken breasts into thin halves, pound them to an even thickness if necessary. You can do this by placing the chicken breast in a plastic ziplock bag and pound evenly with a meat hammer or rolling pin.
Your Questions Answered
Is this a traditional Chicken Parmesan recipe?
No. Many chicken parm dishes are fried on the skillet and baked in the oven with mozzarella over top. This recipe is my easy weeknight version and still extremely flavorful, with less calories.
What can I serve with chicken parmesan?
In addition to the spaghetti, I like to finish each plate off with a Caesar salad and sometimes garlic bread. To make it easy, I just buy the bagged salad kit at the grocery store. If you want to add an appetizer, try these Tomato Cups and then keep an Italian theme with Tiramisu Brownies for dessert!
What is the difference between chicken parmesan and chicken parmigiana?
Nothing. One is a fancier name.
Storage and Leftovers
Store: Any leftovers can be frozen or refrigerated. The chicken will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in a sealed container.
Freeze: Freeze individual chicken breasts and thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Reheat thawed chicken breasts in the oven or microwave.
Leftovers: Try cutting up leftover chicken breasts into bite sized pieces for topping chicken parmesan pizza, or to stir into a pasta dish.
PRINT this recipe or PIN it to save for later. Made this recipe? Leave a star rating and tag me on Instagram @seededtable so I can see. I love hearing from you!
More Italian Recipes
- Baked Spaghetti Casserole
- Spinach and Sausage Gnocchi
- Biscuit Italian Casserole
- Pasta Fagioli
- Italian Meatloaf
This chicken parmesan recipe was originally published September 7, 2007. Recipe and photography updated June 28, 2019. Process photos added December 2021.
Recipe Card
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts , about 1 lb
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup dry bread crumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 ounce can French fried onion rings , crushed
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 12 oz. thin spaghetti
- 1 jar marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with nonstick oil.
- Using kitchen shears, cut the chicken horizontally to make 6 thin fillets; set aside.
- In a shallow dish or pie plate, mix together the melted butter, seasoned salt, dry mustard and Worcestershire sauce. In a separate shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, parsley and onion rings.
- Dip chicken in the butter mixture, coating both sides. Then dip into the crumbs mixture, coating both sides. Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes then carefully flip the chicken and bake an additional 10 minutes or until coating is crisp and chicken is cooked through to 165°F.
- While chicken is baking, prepare the spaghetti and heat the sauce according to packaged directions.
- Serve chicken with cooked spaghetti and sauce.
Notes
- For optional mozzarella cheese topping: Before serving, spoon marinara sauce over each chicken breast, then sprinkle a couple tablespoons of shredded mozzarella. Return to oven for 5 minutes to melt the cheese, or broil for 1 or 2 minutes. (We omit this for less calories.)
- Nutrition information is an estimate only based on the chicken breast only.
