Stuffed Chicken Parmesan Recipe (with GF Option)
This Stuffed Chicken Parmesan is crisp on the outside and so juicy inside. This is an easy, one-pan, 30 min parmesan chicken dinner you’ll make over and over!
The parmesan crust seals in the juices and the mozzarella cheese keeps the meat so tender. You will savor every bite of this easy parmesan crusted chicken.
We have included our Amazon affiliate links for all of our favorite tools used to make this chicken parm.
OUR LATEST VIDEOSWatch How to Make Stuffed Chicken Parmesan:
Our family loves chicken recipes and this was no exception. My kiddos gobbled this up so fast and especially loved the giant cheese pull surprise inside! My son spotted me editing the photos for this recipe and said it was pure torture (especially the photo below), requesting that I make it for him again – good thing it’s an EASY chicken parmesan!
P.S. That pan I’m using (because I know someone will ask) is one one of my favorites because it is a pan but it is deep so it is super versatile for one-pan meals! It is a Staub Braiser.
Ingredients & Best Sauce for Chicken Parmesan:
You can use a homemade marinara sauce or your favorite store-bought marinara sauce in a pinch. We always have several glass jars of organic marinara from Costco and it works really well. If you have a favorite marinara sauce, let me know in a comment below!
This stuffed chicken parmesan couldn’t be easier!! Season, slice, stuff and bread. And YES, you can absolutely season and stuff the chicken breasts ahead of time and have them ready to bread and cook for a most delicious chicken dinner!
How to Make Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan:
This can easily be made gluten free! We experimented using gluten free flour to dredge and gluten free cracker crumbs for the crust and didn’t notice a difference in taste. The cracker crumbs adhered even better to the chicken than the bread crumbs. We are excited about expanding our collection of gluten free recipes!
More Easy Chicken Recipes You will LOVE:
- Spatchcock Chicken – the best way to roast a whole chicken (a 1-pan dinner)
- Chicken Madeira – a Cheesecake Factory copycat with amazing flavor
- Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry – perfect for busy weeknights
- Chicken Teriyaki – quick, easy and so much better than takeout
Print-Friendly Chicken Parmesan Recipe:
Stuffed Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts (4 medium)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour *or gluten free flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 large eggs well beaten with a fork
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs such as panko **see notes for GF option
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese finely grated
- 3 Tbsp extra light olive oil plus more as needed
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 6 oz mozzarella cheese, divided (1 1/2 cups shredded)
- 6 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped to garnish
Instructions
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Season chicken breasts with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste. Cut a deep slit into each breast without cutting all the way through and stuff each with 2-3 Tbsp of mozzarella, closing the edges to seal.
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Set up 3 large bowls. In the first, pour 1/2 cup flour. In the second, beat 2 large eggs thoroughly with a fork. In the third, stir together 1/2 cup bread crumbs and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese.
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Working with 1 stuffed chicken breast at a time, carefully dredge in flour, tapping off any excess. Then dip into the beaten eggs, letting any excess egg drip back into the bowl. Finally dip in bread crumbs, turning a couple times to get a good coating.
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Place a large, deep pan or dutch oven over medium heat and add 3 Tbsp olive oil to lightly coat the pan. Once oil is hot, add the breaded chicken in a single layer and sauté 4 min per side or until golden brown on each side.
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Pour 2 cups of marinara sauce around the chicken and spoon some of the marinara onto the center of each chicken breast. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella over the stuffed chicken then bake uncovered at 400˚F for 15-20 min, or until an instant read thermometer reads 165˚F when inserted into the chicken (mine was ready at 15 min). Garnish with freshly chopped basil.
Recipe Notes
*For Gluten Free version, we used Namaste brand flour and **finely crushed GF cracker crumbs by the "Glutino" brand.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
This is such a treat and I hope this becomes a favorite in your home as well. Enjoy this my friends!
natashaskitchen
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Here you'll find classic Ukrainian food and other favorite recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I thought soap was bad for the pans? Do you reseason them each time? What about lodge pans? Is there a type of non stick pan you recommend if you can’t afford Staub?
Brooke, You’re absolutely right! It isn’t good for the seasoned exposed cast iron pans. The coated pans are okay to wash with soap. If washing the exposed pan with soap you will have to re-season it at that point.
You could use gf Panko or they have gf bread crumbs they even come Italian flavored. Also the best flour I have found for frying or making gravy is pilsbury.
Thank you for letting me know Halsey! I’ll have to try those next time.
How Do you clean your pan with all these types of heavy dish recipes you make since it’s cast-iron?
Hi Brooke. We usually hand wash cast Iron. It is not recommended for them to be washed in the Dish washer.
Do you use soap& water because you do a lot of heavy cooking in it? What kind of cast iron do you recommend besides Staub that you can get in the store?? because it’s really expensive. what about Lodge?
Hi Brooke, We clean the pot/pan with warm water, liquid dish soap, and a soft sponge or brush. We then dry it completely to prevent water spots. The quality of Staub is well worth the price and you can definitely feel that it is made to last, that being said they can be pricey! One of the first pots that I tried was from Walmart. It began to chip and crack after a little while. I wish I had a better recommendation for you. I would recommend reading reviews, the good and the bad and find the best one for you that’s within your budget.
What kind of pan did you use, it didn’t look like a “Dutch oven”.
Hi Patrick. We used this Staub pan.
Can I use bone-in chicken with skin? That’s all I have right now.
Hi Kathy, you would need to debone and remove the skin for this recipe without having to alter the cooking instructions.
Hey, just saw this recipe and it looks so yummy. I love chicken and cheese so this will be great for me and my bf. I was wondering what would the setting be for a gas oven as I use gas mark also from the UK. 🙂
I would watch it closely but I don’t think there should be much of a difference!
I tried this and it was great, the only problem I had was when I fried the chicken for four minutes on each side the bread crumbs burned, the chicken did not look golden brown like yours what did I do wrong
Hi John, It sounds like maybe the heat was too high. If you notice the chicken is browning too quickly, it’s best to remove the pan from the heat to cool slightly and then return it over lower heat. I hope that helps! It also helps to use a pan that is more non-stick.
Love how you made the Parm chicken, so easy.
What is the name of the stove? I love the burner. Who sells them?
Hi Terry, thank you! That is a Cuisinart cast iron single burner we purchased it on Amazon (affiliate link)
Hi Natasha! I cannot thank you for all the wonderful recipes you provide!
On this chicken recipe what size Dutch pan are you using!? It seems like the perfect size! Thanks Helen
Hi Helen. I have it linked in the recipe. We used this pan here, its amazing!
What would be the best choice of accompaniment food for such a masterpiece? :p
The classic pasta side will work great with this! A side salad or some veggies will go great with this also!
Natasha!!! I LOVE your recipes😭😭💕 they’re so delicious and I’ve tried several of them and O EMMM GEEE! Delicious 👌🏻🙏🏻 So perfect easy and scrumptious 🤙🏻 Thank you for the share! Keep it up 🤤🤤🤤👅👅💕💕💕
Thank you so much for this thoughtful review, Leandro! I’m so happy you are enjoying our recipes!
I’ve always liked Rao’s Sauces in a pinch. They are very simple and have no added sugar. They are a little expensive but worth it.
Thank you for the wonderful review, Greg!
I’m going to try to adapt this to “Keto” (Ketogenic) diet by substituting almond flour for AP flour and crushed pork rinds for panko crumbs. Not sure how to “carb-down” the sauce unless I make it homemade and just use less. But definitely going to try to adapt this one. Sounds AWESOME!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Leigh!
Natasha, I only have stainless pots & pans, could they be put in the oven to finish the meal??? I’m not a big chicken eater, but this sure looks good !!!
Hi Nancy, so long as your stainless steel pans don’t have any visible rubber or plastic components (most don’t), you should be ok to put them in the oven. Most stainless steel pots and pans are oven-safe.
Hi Natasha,
My son and I had a lot of laughter and memories making this dish (he’s
11) ! How did you split your chicken so perfectly? We tried to do “little pockets” but it just wasn’t happening. The dish turned out scrumptious regardless and my son is proud of his accomplishment.
We use disposable gloves for most messy cooking and it works well for cleaning.
Hi Cynthia, it helps to use larger chicken breasts (the very small ones are more difficult to create a pocket, also when your chicken breast is laying flat with the smooth side up, aim for the upper third of the chicken breast to start the slit since the under side is less uniform and more easily pierced. I hope that helps!
What can you substitute for olive oil in this recipe?
You can substitute with vegetable or canola oil. It may have a slightly different taste with that.
I have to watch sodium consumption and 1731mmg seems quite high. I will eliminate the 3/4 tsp of salt since the cheese and marinara sauce have enough salt (sodium) already. I buy Classico marinara sauce because it is lower in sodium. Thanks for the recipe, I’m going to try it.
Thank you for sharing that with is Pat!
If you use Himalayan pink salt, you do not need to worry about sodium, as it has 83 other minerals to balance the sodium. If you use table salt, which is just sodium chloride, that is where you have problems.
Hi I do not have a pan that is oven friendly. How would you change things? I have some ideas but was wondering what you would suggest. Thank you in advance for your reply 🙂 Can’t wait to try this!
Hi Bonnie, I’ve always made this by putting it in the oven. If that’s not an option, I would recommend turning the heat down really really low, covering the pan and finish it until done on the stove top.
Thanks I am making this tonight and did not want to heat the house up with the oven!
You’re welcome!
I cooked 2 chicken breasts in my cas iron but I only cook for 2. I then put the browned breasts in a open oven safe dish, and put the sauce with it. I made sure to get all the drippings too!
I made this last week- used baby fresh mozzarella balls – amazing recipe thank you so much.
Wanted to pass along_ have recently found Barilla Marinara sauce being closest to homemade real Italian sauce – ❤️
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
This is in my oven right now. Can’t wait to eat😊 I love your recipes
Thank you for that wonderful compliment! I bet your home smells amazing right now!
Hello what is marinara sauce
Hi Katehrine, It is a tomato sauce that involves tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions etc. Hope this helps.
I thought could not have sauce tho
Hi Stacey. Are you referring to the sauce being gluten free?
This recipe sounds so good. And I would like to make it using the 4 servings. That would be 4 meals for me. What I need to know is: Can this recipe be frozen after cooked and then reheated at a later date?
Hi Kathy, I haven’t experimented with freezing it completely assembled but that may make the breading too moist especially if you put marinara on. I would suggest freezing the breaded and cooked stuffed chicken ahead of time and when ready to serve, then assemble with sauce and cheese and bake.
Thank you
Is the nutrition information for the entire recipe or for 1 piece of the chicken? Thank you!
Hi Stephanie! The nutrition facts are per serving. There are 4 servings in this dish. Hope this helps.
Kindly let me know
How to make homemade marinara sauce?
Thanks
Hi Nahida, for this recipe we purchased Marinara sauce but I do have this recipe for you tp try. Marinara Sauce
Beside the cheese stuffing for the chicken breast, you may combine it with ham and crumbled bacon. For a chicken cordon bleu. Then follow the steps that you provided. What do you think?
That sounds creative to me! Chicken Cordon Bleu is a classic! Let us know how you like it!
Love this chicken recipes
Would this recipe work using veal chops instead of chicken breasts?
I haven’t tried it with veal chops before. Sounds interesting!
Whenever I use store bought marinara sauce, I always get Victoris brand. We find it to be the BEST!
Hi Natasha, looks so yummy, What kind is the pan you are using ? I noticed you can cook in it then tuse the same pan for the oven
Hi Sally, this is the one I use and love it 😀
Hello, we are looking forward to trying this recipe. Just wanted to mention that in the ingredients, you say 1/3 cup of flour, but in the directions, you say 1/2.
Thank you for noticing that Dustin, I just updated the recipe 😀
I made It tonight and it was amazing! This is the second recipe of yours I have made and love them!
Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi Natasha, i’m going to try your recipe. It sounds delish. I’m wondering if it would be okay to freeze this dish? Thanks.
HI Gary, I haven’t tried freezing it completely assembled but that may make the breading too moist if you put marinara on it and then freeze. I would suggest freezing the breaded and cooked stuffed chicken ahead of time and when ready to serve, then assemble with sauce and cheese and bake.
Excited to try it tonite. Looks absolutely delish.
Thank you for that wonderful compliment!
what is mirinars sauce?
Hi Stephen! Are you referring to the marinara sauce? It is a tomato sauce that involves tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions etc. Hope this helps.
LAS RECETAS LAS PODRAN PONER EN ESPAÑOL POR FAVOR YA QUE EL INGLES NO MLE ENTIENDO.
Hi, I won’t be able to translate them into Spanish but you can use Google Translate program to translate the recipe. Thank you for visiting 😀
Hi Natasha,
My husband is doing a low carb diet and I was wondering – can this be done without the coatings? I was thinking I could just pan sear the chicken once they’ve been stuffed, and then follow the rest of the instructions.
I love your recipes and I can’t wait to try this!
Hi Lisa, I think that would still be ok. The coating helps keep the chicken juicy and makes it a little more forgiving when it comes to overbaking. I would suggest checking with an instant read meat thermometer for doneness. I hope you love it!
Hi Natasha,
I made this the other night (without the coating) and it came out amazing! I did make some minor adjustments that I’ll share.
Along with the cheese, I placed sliced roma tomato and fresh basil leaves into the center of the chicken breast. I used pizza sauce in place of the marinara as it was much lower in carbs – placing some in the pan and on top of the chicken. Using an oven-proof skillet, I baked the chicken at 350F for about 30 minutes and then added some shredded mozzarella on top and broiled for 5 minutes to get the cheese melted and bubbly.
This was so moist and juicy! Thank you for creating the actual recipe – I’d been looking for something like this for quite a while!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Lisa!
Hi Natasha,
Thanks agaian for your recipes. Do you think i can use adjika (Ukrainian tomato sauce ) instead of marinara?
Hi Anna! I have never tried it with adjika, it is much more runny and has more acidity than marinara. If you happen to try it with that we’d love to hear your feedback! Great question!
Thank you for the gluten free options! We use Glutino crackers but I never thought to crush them for bread crumbs. Love your recipes and comments!
It is definitely my pleasure! I’m so happy to hear you are enjoying my blog!
Can this be made ahead of time? If so, would I need to lengthen cooking time? Thank you!
Hi Kelly, you could sautee the chicken then refrigerate overnight and before baking, add marinara and toppings and bake. Keep in mind it will need a longer bake time if you are starting with chilled chicken. I hope you LOVE it! 🙂
Thank you so much! We loved this and it is now a regular in our rotation 🙂 <3
That’s awesome! You’re welcome!
Made this for supper and it was delicious. Will for sure make it again.
I’m glad you love it Betty, thanks for sharing your excellent review!
delicious! made as almost as written (using Ina Garten’s marinara recipe) and added some spinach to the cheese stuffing. served over spaghetti. this is the second recipe i have made from this site. i love and appreciate the detailed instructions. very helpful to novice cooks!!
I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for following and sharing your excellent review Patricia!
Looks awesome, I’m going to add one step, place 4 slices of pepperonni inside the chicken before the mozzarella. Hormel has low fat, low sodium and Turkey Pepperoni (70% less fat)
YUM, that sounds good! Please let me know how it turns out Jeffrey!
Love your receipes! Go Girl
Thanks Girl, I’m happy to hear that!
What are some good marinera sauces?
Hi Jennifer, I usually try to buy an organic one (I have this theory that organic tomatoes taste better than non organic so the marinara should as well ;)). We have tried both organic brands at Costco (Kirkland and Newmans) and both were good. We also love the homemade marinara very much 🙂
I was busy all the time so i never had time to peak at this!!! Yesterday I made it and it was Great!!!!!
Me and my Little cousins loved it!!!!
I’m glad to hear how much everyone enjoys the recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review Lena!
Your recipe doesn’t say how to use the basil? Please reply.
Hi Teresa, it is intended to be used just as a garnish to serve. Sorry I missed that in the instructions. I hope you love the recipe! 🙂
Just made this chicken and i used boneless chicken things and it worked great!
Loved the recipe so delicious!!
Yay! I’m glad to hear the recipe is a success. Thanks for sharing your fantastic review Dina!
Thank you so much for adding advice and recipe ideas for gluten free. I have celiac disease, and so it’s so nice to have options to make such great recipes (0:
My pleasure Rita! I’m glad you find that so helpful. 🙂
Can’t wait to try this….love all your recipes! Try using disposable plastic gloves like the deli’s and meat markets do. they work great.
I hope you love the recipe Cathy! Thanks for sharing your great tip with other readers!
Can you make a post with all your favorite pots/pans/kitchen stuff? We finally moved into our new house and i want to start investing into some quality kitchen items. Since you cook and bake all the time I’m sure you have tried a lot!! A post with links :)) thanks for all the awesome recipes
I will keep your suggestion in mind Inessa! I do have some of what your requesting already on blog that may help for now. Click this link to see my product favs!
This recipe looks so good, can’t wait to try it. Would Ragu sauce work for this recipe instead for Marinara?
Hi Tani, Ragu brand would work for the marinara sauce. You can use whichever is your favorite tomato pasta sauce brand, or what you have on hand 🙂
I’ve tried several chicken parmesan recipes and this one is by far the best! SOOO tasty!!
That’s great to hear Rebecca! Thanks for sharing your excellent review with other readers!
Favorite Marina Sauce: Rao’s. It is expensive – about $8/28 oz jar – but it is just like the sauce we had in NY restaurants. Not too sweet and not too much sodium. When I can find it on sale for $5, I buy 5 of them. I try to make my own, but it doesn’t compare to Rao’s. Thank you for all of your magnificent recipes.
Thanks for following Vincent and sharing your great tip! 🙂
the salt content of this dish is off the charts…is there a way to cut down on the sodium?
Hi Alexandra, the recipe itself has very little salt but it comes from the parmesan, mozzarella and the marinara sauce. You can use less marinara (1.5 cups) and less parmesan (1/4 cup, but replace the missing portion with more bread crumbs) and sprinkle on a little less cheese over the top and that should cut the sodium considerably.
good morning from Ottawa, Canada.
reducing amounts is an excellent idea since both mozzerella and parmesan are low-sodium cheeses so substituting them is not the right option.
…and i make my own sauce too so that will help as well.
i love receiving natashaskitchen.com email’s
thank you for your wonderful recipes.
I’m happy to hear how much you’re enjoying the recipes Alexandra! Thanks for following and sharing your input!
Thank you so much for supplying a gluten free option for this recipe. I hope that going forward, you continue to do this (especially with baked goods recipes). Some of your muffins look so yummy and I get so sad that I will never be able to make them.
My pleasure Lyla! I hope you enjoy the recipe. Please expect for gluten free option in the future! For more gluten free recipes, click here!
Hi Natasha, this sounds so yummy I was wondering if I could use any other cheese besides mozzarella in this recipe. Thank you.
Hi Barbara, I think provolone or another kind of mild cheese that melts well.
Try having one hand for wet, and the other hand for dry ingredients. I usually do that when making chicken fingers.
Great suggestion Elena, thanks for sharing!
Just made it and it’s delicious! Thank you for the recipe!!! 💛
You are so quick! I am impressed!! Thank you for the wonderful review. I’m so glad you enjoyed the chicken parmesan!
I buy marinara sauce by the pint from Mazzios pizza and it’s delicious on my chicken parmesan!
Yummy! 🙂
Simply beautiful and beautifully simple! Gonna make it!
I hope you love it Darrell, please let me know what you think!
Absolutely delicious!
I love having the option of gluten-free! Thanks for thinking that through. You’re the bestestest!;)
Thank you Valentina!! Being on a gluten free diet with my son for the past month has really forced me to consider gluten free options to be able to continue enjoying some of our favorite recipes like this gluten free chicken parmesan! 🙂
Hello Natasha! I know being gluten free sucks, but I promise it gets easier and better when your body gets used to it. I’ve been gluten free for a little more than a year and I miss being able to eat whatever I want. If I knew I had to be gluten free, I sure would’ve been a lot more food-adventurous and tried all the things I can’t anymore!! But I’m glad you’re finding alternatives you and your family can enjoy. And I’m thankful for more wonderful gluten free recipes on your blog! Wishing you and your son the best:)
Thank you Inessa!! It definitely is hard especially at first, but it has forced us to take a good look at what we eat and what the ingredients are in certain foods we buy. Our buying habits have definitely changed for the better at the grocery store and I’m so happy about that 🙂
Sounds really good. Any chance we could use chicken thighs?
Hi Sandy, I think it would be difficult to stuff chicken thighs the same way. I would probably roll the chicken thighs up with cheese in the center. I hope you love the recipe! 🙂