Classic Chicken Parmesan Recipe (VIDEO)
This classic Chicken Parmesan is as good as it gets! It has a parmesan crust that seals in the juiciest chicken breast, topped with Homemade Marinara and a generous amount of melted cheese. The process to make this is surprisingly quick and easy.
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Chicken Parmesan Recipe:
This is the classic version of Chicken Parm. A restaurant-quality Chicken Parmesan is so easy to recreate at home (for a fraction of the price). Since this chicken is breaded and covered in sauce, it also reheats really well so you will appreciate any leftovers. This is among our family’s favorite 30-minute meals.
This Chicken Parmesan Recipe is wonderful over hot pasta and served with Caesar Salad or Roasted Asparagus on the side. It can also be served as a hot sandwich on a toasted bun; yum!
What is Chicken Parmigiana?
The Italian name is Chicken Parmigiana and in the US, it has been nicknamed Chicken Parm, short for Chicken Parmesan. It is essentially breaded chicken breast covered in tomato sauce and cheese and is similar to Eggplant Parmesan.
How can something so simple be THIS good you ask? You only have to try it once and you will know why everyone is talking about this dish. P.S. If you want to take this a step further, you can also make Stuffed Chicken Parmesan.
Ingredients for Easy Chicken Parmesan:
You just need a few pantry staples to make Chicken Parm. This is the best with homemade marinara sauce but if you’re in a hurry, you can absolutely use your favorite store-bought marinara. All you need for the perfect chicken parm is:
- Chicken breasts
- Flour, salt, and pepper to dredge
- Eggs, for the egg wash
- Italian bread crumbs and parmesan for the crust
- A good cooking oil
- Marinara Sauce
- Shredded Mozzarella
- Parsley or basil to garnish
How to Make Parmesan Crusted Chicken:
- Mak the easy 20-minute homemade marinara and while it simmers, continue to prep the chicken.
- Cut 2 chicken breasts in half length-wise for 4 cutlets and season with salt and pepper.
- Set up 3 shallow bowls: In the first bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper, in the second bowl, beat together 2 eggs and in the third bowl, stir together parmesan and bread crumbs
- Dredge chicken in flour, dusting off excess, then dip in eggs and turn to coat in bread crumbs.
- Once all chicken is breaded, heat a large non-stick skillet with enough oil to lightly coat the bottom and saute 3-4 minutes per side or until just cooked through at 165˚F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Pour half of your marinara sauce in a casserole dish. Arrange chicken pieces over marinara in a single layer. Spoon on marinara sauce and top with cheese then bake in a casserole dish at 425˚F for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
Cook’s Tip: If chicken cutlets are large or uneven, use a meat mallet to pound between plastic wrap into 1/3″-thick cutlets and they will cook faster and more evenly.
Can Chicken Parm be Made Ahead?
You can saute the breaded chicken, arrange in a casserole dish and top with marinara and cheese, then cover and refrigerate. Bake before serving, but be sure to bake a few minutes longer since you are baking chilled chicken. Check the internal temperature of the chicken with an instant-read thermometer to ensure that it bakes to a safe 165˚F.
For a Healthier Baked Chicken Parmesan:
While we prefer sauteing the chicken lightly in oil because it is faster and uniformly golden, you can skip the pan-frying step and make this a healthier Baked Chicken Parmesan.
To make baked chicken parm, complete steps 1 through 3, lightly coat breaded chicken breasts with cooking spray on all sides and bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes then continue with the recipe in step 5.
More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes:
We love chicken recipes that come together fast. These are the ones our family requests most often and they have been tested and loved by hundreds of readers.
- Chicken Marsala – a classic Italian-inspired recipe
- Lemon Chicken – easy 30-minute dish that comes together in 1 pan
- Chicken Madeira – Cheesecake Factory Copycat
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta in the best Alfredo sauce
- Chicken Pesto Pasta – 1 ingredient changes everything!
- Chicken Stir Fry – easy and so saucy
Watch the Chicken Parmesan Video Tutorial:
This Chicken Parmesan is so easy, perfect for busy weeknights and will send your family running to the table. It’s a keeper of a recipe! If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe to our Youtube Channel and make sure to click the bell icon so you get a notification when we post a new video.
Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Classic Chicken Parmesan recipe with parmesan-crusted tender chicken, topped with marinara and cheese. Chicken Parm is an easy, excellent chicken dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (large), about 1 1/2 lbs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 large eggs beaten until frothy
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded or grated
- 2 Tbsp Light olive oil to sauté
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese (1 cup shredded)
- 1 Tbsp fresh basil or parsley, chopped for optional garnish
Instructions
-
Trim chicken breasts and slice in half length-wise so you end up with 4 equal-thickness cutlets.* Season with salt and pepper.
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In a shallow bowl, stir together 1/2 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. In a second bowl, whisk 2 eggs until frothy. In a third bowl, stir together 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs with 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
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Dip both sides of each chicken cutlet into the flour, tapping off excess, then dip in beaten eggs, letting excess egg drip off and finally dip into the cheesy breadcrumbs, pressing cutlets into breading to ensure a thick, even coating of crumbs.
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Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Once oil is hot, add chicken in batches (don't crowd the pan), sautéing 3-4 min per side or until golden brown and just cooked through.
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Pour 1 1/2 cups of marinara into a 9x13 casserole baking dish. Arrange chicken over sauce in a single layer. Top each chicken down the center with remaining 1 1/2 cups marinara, then cover with shredded mozzarella. Bake uncovered at 425˚F for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. Garnish with chopped parsley or basil if desired.
Recipe Notes
*Cook's Tip: For large chicken breasts, pound your chicken between plastic wrap into even 1/3"-thick cutlets.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Note: Recipe initially posted in March 2015. The recipe has been updated with a new video and photos. Here is a photo from the original recipe:
Natasha Kravchuk
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Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
what kind of pots are you using and where do you get them?
Hi Debbie, you can find our favorite tools in our Affiliate Amazon Shop HERE.
Luv all your recipes . so enjoyable to watch and the fun you have cooking.
Thank you so much for your good comments and feedback!
This is definitely a new family fav! So yummy with the crust and so saucy. I used a GF crumb mixture with romano cheese already in the mix. I also used strained tomatoes for the marinara since I didn’t have crushed tomatoes on hand.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Delicious! Why is it that sometimes the bread crumbs fall off the chicken while cooking?
Hi Maureen, it may be the type of breading that is used (larger crumbs). Also, make sure to use a good non-stick skillet which definitely helps for sauteeing.
Made the chicken parmesan tonight! The family thought it was amazing! Thanks for all your great recipes. Natashia you are my go to when I need a great dinner recipe. I also love your videos with the recipes. So glad I can always count on your recipes. You make it easy as well as yummy!
I Love it! I am happy to know that your family enjoyed this chicken parmesan recipe. Thank you so much for sharing that with us!
I made this recipe for the first time and it was delicious! My go to from now on!
So glad to hear that, Danita. Thank you!
Love the results of this recipe! The chicken Parmesan is so tasty and moist!! Also made your marinara sauce. Made these recipes for my daughter-in-law to be’s bridal shower. Had to have seconds! And got many compliments!
Thanks so much, Natasha!!
Marianne
Yay that is so awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your great experience with this recipe, Marianne!
Absolute best Chicken Parmesan I have EVER eaten! I made the homemade marinara sauce of yours and I have to say Delicious! No comparison to store bought marinara and well worth the time. I will make this dish again and again! Thanks for the video!
Sounds awesome! Thank you for trying out this recipe, and I am so happy to read your good feedback. Thanks for sharing that with us, Nancy!
This is so good and so easy. I used 3 large chicken breasts, then cut in half. Once cooked, I froze 5 in separate microwave-safe containers for quick, delicious dinners. It tastes yummy after re-heated in microwave and served with different veges.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing that with me!
What a delicious recipe! We devoured it!!! This is definitely a keeper and one that I will make often. Thanks so much for this recipe!
I’m so glad! Thank you for sharing this great feedback with us!
Amazing !! Thanks Natasha !
You’re welcome Michelle!
Thanks for the recipe. Our family like it👍
You’re welcome! I hope your family will love all the recipes that you will try.
Thanks for the great recipies!!! Have a Blessed Day!!!
You’re welcome! Have a great day too.
Love your recipes! I couldn’t find the name of your favorite food scraper in the notes. I would love to get one! Thank you!
Hi Yvonne, you can see the kitchen tools that I use here in our Amazon Page
hi does this chicken goes on top of plain noddles
Hi Adrina! That’s right but you can serve it over noodles, mashed, rice, whatever your preference. We prefer it over noodles.
This was absolutely delicious! The breading came off a bit but I believe that was my problem not something with the recipe. Tasted like something from a fancy Italian restaurant and I made it at home with very little time and effort on my part. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Sarah! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
I made this last night, homemade marinara and all. About the only deviation from the recipe was that I had the oven on 400 and left it in longer. But I don’t see how the chicken cutlets can stay crispy either way when soaking in all that sauce. Next time I’ll handle that part differently. Also, this ends up being very bland if you follow her directions to the letter. Next time, I will put more spices in the sauce and use the mozzarella in the breading and the Parmesan (more) on top. As a base recipe this is OK, but my idea of “restaurant quality” would include crispy cutlets and more flavor.
Hi Laurie this normally has tons of flavor – did you possibly forget to season the flour? Also, using Italian bread crumbs will give you more flavor than plain bread crumbs or panko.
Soooooo good! This is my favorite dish when I go to Olive Garden and I can finally make it at home! Thank you!
Yes it’s so worth it, I think you will love this!
Do you think it would be okay to use the chicken tenderloins instead of the breasts?
Hi Ashley, Yes, tenderloins would work and you wouldn’t even have to slice them in half
Hi Natasha. I am lazy after work so i want to bake my chicken instead. Do i put any marinara sauce while chicken cooks/bakes?
Hi Edith, I haven’t tested it only baked in the oven without sauteeing first on the stove so I can’t advise on that.
Towards the end, do we have to only cover the center of the chicken with sauce and cheese? Or could we cover the whole piece of chicken?
You can definitely do that Eve!
Can I use panko bread crumbs instead of italian breadcrumbs?
Hi Eve, I think that would still work fine to use Panko crumbs, but I would add a little more seasoning.
Natasha I watch you all the time and get most all of your recipes. Tonight I made the chicken parmesan. Haven’t tasted it yet but it looks real yummy. I’m also making from scratch garlic bread. I’ll be making a lot of your recipes and will be watching also for new recipes. Keep up the good food.
Sounds like the perfect dinner, Linda! I hope you love these recipes!
I’ve looked for the link for the food scraper and can’t find it. Can you point me in the right direction? Many thanks!
Hello, you can view the kitchen tools that I use here in our Amazon Page. I hope that helps!
This chicken dish is tomorrows night meal and i am really looking forward to making thanks Natasha
I hope you love it, Patricia! It is so so good!
Thanks for sharing the chicken parmesan recipe my husband an I love it
I did the salmon Dijon yesterday and my husband an I love it can’t wait to try more
So awesome! I’m glad to hear that you both loved it. I hope you love every recipe that you will try.
could you use pasta sauce in place of marinara sauce?
Hi Karen, yes those are basically the same thing and can be used interchangeably.
Quick, easy, and delicious 😋 thank you!
Perfect! Thank you so much for your great review.
Oh looks wonderful I have tried the same recithis
I hope you love this recipe!
Natasha,
Where did you get your mixing containers? I didn’t see the link.
Thank you
Jim
Hi Jim, you can find them in our Amazon Shop HERE.
Thank you! I will let you know as soon as I make this.
Absolutely incredible!!! I made this last night and we loved it! Tasted like it came straight from an Italian restaurant. I do not typically enjoy cooking, but this recipe changed my attitude a bit and now I’m really excited to try another recipe from this site. Thank you, Natasha!
That’s just awesome Abby! Thank you for sharing that amazing review with me!
Ok. SO AMAZING!!!!! I use chicken thighs because thats what I had on hand and it was so soft and FULL of flavor! Thank you Natasha! This meal is completely gobbled up, every time I make it.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Made this last night with chicken Tenderloins Turned out Great. Will use this recipe again. Yummm
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Jamie!
Will almond flour work with this recipe instead of regular flour?
Hi Michele, I have not tried Almond flour for this recipe to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
I made this dish for my boyfriend and I tonight and it was PERFECT! We prefer veggies over pasta so we paired the chicken with roasted zucchini with Parmesan and mushrooms sautéed in butter. This is now my favorite chicken breast dinner to make. This is my first recipe rating/comment but I love all of Natasha’s recipes.
Yay that is so awesome Darcy. Thank you so much for sharing that with us and I hope you and your boyfriend will love every recipe that you’ll try!
Just wanted to let you know ….I made the Chicken Parmesan this evening and it was delicious! The marinara sauce was spot on and so easy to make.
Thank you so much!
That’s just awesome, Darlene! Thank you for that great review!
Just wanted to let you know ….I made the Chicken Parmesan this evening and it was delicious! The marinara sauce was spot on and so easy to make.
Thank you so much!
Question- I would like to take this to a family for dinner. Do you think it would work to put the sauce in the bottom of the pan as instructed, then add some cooked spaghetti before topping it off with the chicken and remainder of sauce?
Hi Lee, I usually just top the chicken on pasta after the chicken is fully cooked. That could work but you may need more sauce so the pasta doesn’t dry out.
This was an excellent meal! It has become part of my family’s weekly meal plan. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Christopher!
Wow, just made this again tonight. Even better the second time around. Instead of having it with pasta I made a side salad….saved some calories, win/win.
Next week I’m going to make the beef and broccoli recipe. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Sounds awesome, I hope that you will love every recipe that you will try, Mary!
Wow, never made Chicken Parm before. It was moist and delicious and although I made buttered noodles I really didn’t need them. I ate a few, but opted to go for another breast of chicken instead! Great flavors.
So great to hear that you loved the end result Vlynn. Thank you for your good feedback!
this was AMAZING!! I just cooked thank you for such great recipes
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Made this tonight for the first time. I love the way the chicken turns out. However next time I will use a better quality marinara sauce. Natasha, where can I get those dipping trays that you used? Thank you
Thanks for sharing that with us Susan! You must be referring to this Breading Set.
Chicken Parm was delicious! The sauce was just right, not to salty or garlicky. I will make this again and again! Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome! Glad you loved the chicken parm recipe.
A recent subscriber, I attempted your lasagna – absolutely a breeze to make and what a hit with the whanau! I did try to take the credit but guilt made me confess, so many thanks. I would love to know where you got your 3 dish container from for crumbing? And Im equally obsessed with the no mess approach that I have not once managed in my years of cooking! I just love your blog… please live forever!!!
Hi Dennis, Thank you for your awesome feedback, Anne. This is similar to the 3 shallow bowls that I used there.
Best chicken parm I’ve made so far! Thanks for this delicious recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Can you do it without baking?
Natasha,
First of all, I love your videos. Your smile is infectious. I don’t care for chicken breast so can I use thighs instead?
Hi Traci, I always make this with Chicken breast but that should still work. You will just need to do a little more trimming and chicken thighs take a little longer to cook through so just make sure they are fully cooked through before putting them in the oven.
Chicken Parmi…
I’ve made this recipe many times before but with a few variations…
Firstly i make a sauce based on tinned tomatos , garlic , capsicums and herbs like basil , oregano and thyme and using a hand held blender blitz until nearly smooth.
For the chicken after shallow frying I top with the sauce and place good quality ham slices to cover chicken then use just about any cheese on top and place under griller to melt and brown the cheese.
Few small pieces of gorgonzola makes a delicious variation.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Pekka! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Our readers will find this helpful.
Love your recipes. Videos are so easy to follow. Made this twice already or my family and they all love it! Thank you so much.
Thank you for that wonderful compliment, Peter! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe.
Natasha. I. Love. All. Your. Receipe. Plus. Your. So. Funny. When. Your. Cooking. It. Makes. Cooking. So. Fun
Thank you so much!
I’ve made this recipe once before but used store bought sauce. I made it tonight using your sauce. What a game changer!!!!! Thank you Natasha we loved this recipe.
Yay so happy to know that you loved this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Hi you mentioned that you use butter flavoured spaghetti for the chicken Parmesan. How do make it!
Hi Myra, we just cook the noodles according to the package instructions and then add plenty of butter once it is drained.
This was one of best chicken Parmesans I have ever had! My kids loved it as well. Definitely a family favorite moving forward.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
We ate this so fast, our entire dining room was covered in a fine mist of (Natasha’s also delicious 20 minute) marinara. Holy moly was it delicious. Super easy. Definitely a winner in our house.
I feel like I’ve missed out on so much not finding your site sooner! We’re batting .1000 on every recipe we’ve tried.
Hello Lauren, thanks for sharing that with us and I’m so happy reading your message and great feedback. There’s still tons of recipes to try, I hope you love the others too!
I made this for dinner the other night. It was so good, the chicken was moist and had perfect flavor. I definitely will make this recipe many more times.
I used A jar Ragu Garden Vegetable for the marinara sauce. It turned out great.
Love it! Thanks for sharing that with us Mary and for giving this recipe a great review.
I haven’t tried it but it looks like the best anyone could ever think up! I printed out the recipe for your lemon chicken recipe but for some reason I am not making it! I think it is because you make so many new recipes and I just have to try them all!
That’s a good problem to have! I hope you get to try them all soon! Thank you for sharing that with me Lisa!
Made this tonight for the first time. Oh my gosh, was it ever good. I haven’t tried a single recipe of yours that we haven’t liked!!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m all smiles!
As someone who just started cooking more as a result of being at home, I can say this one went down great!! Easy to make easy to bake and delicious all around!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Nemo! Thank you for the wonderful feedback.
So delicious! The chicken was so juicy and tender. Definitely added to our weekly dinners!
Sounds like you found a new favorite! That’s so great!
It was thumbs up all around the table. My husband and 2 boys raved. Another meal in the weekly rotation. Thank you so much.
You’re so welcome, Kathleen. Thank you so much for your thumbs up and great feedback!
This was a hit with my family. I followed the recipe as is served over spaghetti. This chicken rally is juicy and delicious. Definite will be making again!
So great to hear that your family loves this recipe, Tiffany. Thanks for sharing that with us and for giving this an excellent review!
Oh my goodness! I’ve always used jarred marinara sauce. Never again! So delish! Thank you! Absolutely love your videos!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Tonya!
This was so flavorful and juicy! Nothing I would change!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Tricia!
I enlisted my 16-year-old son to cook this meal with my supervision and it was delicious. We had the best conversations while cooking together and he said, “Mama, you know I love cooking, right?” Yes, I know and especially anything from your website. Thank you for the hundreds of tasty recipes and cute, entertaining, yet very helpful videos.
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m all smiles
I made this last week, and it was phenomenal!! Next time, though, I would cut my chicken breast halves in half again to make smaller pieces–chicken breasts are huge here and it took forever to cook them through in the pan before baking. Really delicious recipe!!
Thank you so much for sharing that feedback with us, Jennifer! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
I read this recipe this morning in my email, went shopping, got everything I needed, and we just finished dinner. It was delicious! The chicken was so incredibly tender and juicy. My wife expressed concern as I was cooking, saying she doesn’t like marinara sauce. She loved it! Ate a second serving! Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so happy you both enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Chicken Parm is one of our favorite dinners! This recipe comes out great everytime!
Thank you for sharing that with us, Heather. This is one of our favorites at home too, I’m so glad that you loved this recipe!
This is one of our favorite dinners! Such a great comfort food and everyone loves it!
So great to hear that, Rachael. I hope that you love every recipe that you try! Thank you for giving this recipe a great review.
This is sooo delicious!! And simple! We’re obsessed! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome and thank you for giving this recipe a try and for giving it a great review!
Hi,
I’m learning a lot from you videos and recipies. I have a question, I bought pre breaded chicken. How do I add the sauce ? Can I make warm the pre breaded on the pan or does it need to be done in the oven ?
Hi, it depends on if the chicken is already pre-cooked. For food safety, I would suggest following the baking instructions on your package then adding the marinara and cheese and baking in the oven just until cheese is melted and sauce is hot.
Hi! Which is better for this recipe: freshly shredded Parmesan or the shredded Parmesan in a bag?
Hello Priscilla, either would actually be great it depends on what you have available.
Hi! Can I use spaghetti sauce instead of marinara sauce?
Hi Emily, I haven’t tried using spaghetti sauce yet to advise. This is our recipe for our Homemade Marinara Sauce
How do you cook your noodles for the chicken parmesan
Hi Natalie, we cook them according to package instructions.
Delicious and quick- thank you! Wondering where I might find those three shallow bowls for the breading station? They looked connected and easy to use? Thanks again!
Thank you for your awesome review, Anne. This is similar to the 3 shallow bowls that I used there.
So easy and so delicious. It will be on the weekly menu. Thanks
That’s so great Mary! We love this recipe! I’m so glad you found a new favorite!