The BEST Chicken Parmesan

This seriously is the BEST Chicken Parmesan you will ever have! Tender crispy chicken breasts breaded in parmesan breadcrumbs then topped with gooey cheese and tomato sauce. No soggy chicken parmigiana here! This will knock your favorite restaurants chicken parmesan out of the park!

Love Italian Food? Then try my Crockpot Chicken Alfredo or my Pasta Aglio e olio!

The BEST Chicken Parmesan

This Parmesan Chicken Recipe is one of my all time favorite meals. It comes out incredibly juicy, tender and perfectly crisp on the outside. It truly is the BEST chicken parmesan! I take thin cut chicken breast and bread them in a mixture of parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs. Next I pan fry them until golden brown then top them with marinara and mozzarella cheese. Broil to melt the cheese than serve! What I love most about this garlic parmesan chicken is that it stays crispy and does not get soggy!

This recipe starts with a three step breading process. Flour, egg, parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. To keep the chicken extra juicy I use skinless boneless chicken breast and cut them in half. I pound them out to a 1/2 inch thickness. This helps the chicken to cook evenly as well as shortening the cooking time. Fast quick cooking = more tender chicken.

What is chicken parmesan

Chicken parmesan also known as “Chicken Parmigiana” is a traditional Italian meal of thinly sliced chicken breast breaded then baked, pan fried or deep fried until crispy. Tomato sauce and mozzarella are added then broiled until gooey. This dish is thought to have been inspired from one of my other favorites: Eggplant parmesan!

What makes this recipe the best!

• Replacing some of the breadcrumbs with parmesan cheese helps to keep the breading crispy on the outside and super cheesy.
• Pounding the chicken to a 1/2 inch thick keeps the cooking time down resulting in a juicier and tender piece of chicken. It also helps the chicken to cook evenly.
• I start with a hot pan and make sure not to overcrowd the pan. This will ensure the chickens extra crispy and never soggy.

What do you need to make Chicken Parmesan?

• Chicken Breast: Make sure to pound these out really thin! I cut the chicken breast in half length wise then pound them out.
• Olive Oil: Helps to keep the chicken from sticking to the pan and helps it get golden brown and crispy on the outside.
• All Purpose Flour: Gives the egg something to stick to.
• Eggs: Help to keep the breading onto the chicken.
• Panko Breadcrumbs: The panko breadcrumbs gives the breading a light and airy texture. I recommend using panko over regular breadcrumbs. It makes the breading a lot crunchier!
• Parmesan Cheese: 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese is added to the breading! When testing this recipe I kept adding more and more parmesan cheese to the breading. I felt it added some much needed salt and added so much flavor.
• Breading: Flour, Egg, Panko Breadcrumbs and Parmesan Cheese
• Mozzarella Cheese: I prefer to use fresh sliced mozzarella cheese over shredded prepackaged mozzarella. Pre shredded cheese contains additives that keep it from melting properly.
• Tomato Sauce: Use your favorite tomato sauce recipe or try my slow cooker tomato sauce!
• Basil: Is a must for topping this chicken parm!

How to Make Chicken Parmesan

• Slice chicken in half: Start by cutting chicken in half horizontally.

• Pound each piece until 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

• Bread chicken: Add flour to a shallow dish, set aside. Add egg to a shallow bowl and whisk, set aside. Add breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese to a shallow bowl and mix to combine. Starting with the flour and ending with breadcrumbs, dip the chicken into the flour, egg and Parmesan breadcrumbs. The best way to bread the chicken is to keep one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry. This helps from getting the dreaded breading hands.

• Pan fry chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken two at a time to the skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden grown and cooked all the way through.

• Broil: Place chicken in a pan or sheet tray and top with mozzarella cheese. Broil on high until melted and bubbly.

• Serve: Immediately with tomato sauce on top and a sprinkle of basil for serving!

what to serve with this chicken parmesan recipe

• Serve with a big plate of pasta and extra tomato sauce on the side
• Zucchini Noodles for a low carb option
• Pasta with Garlic and Oil
• Egg Noodles
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Pesto Gnocchi
• Pasta Carbonara
• Garlic Bread
• Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts
• Olive Garden Copycat Salad

Tips for making the BEST Chicken Parmesan

• Only add the chicken to the pan when the oil is nice and hot otherwise the chicken will stick and it won’t get properly browned on the outside.
• I recommend using a low moisture mozzarella cheese. It will keep the chicken parmesan from getting soggy!
• Make sure to well season your chicken breast. I make sure to thoroughly season with salt and pepper on both sides. This is necessary to get a properly seasoned dish.
• Don’t add too much sauce! This will cause the chicken to get soggy. I like to put a little bit of tomato sauce on top of the chicken after broiling the cheese. I serve extra marinara on the side for dipping. You could also put a spoonful of tomato sauce on each plate and top with the chicken cutlet.

Here are more delicious chicken recipes to try!

• Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
• Easy Chicken Shawarma
• Instant Pot Butter Chicken
• Grilled Asian Chicken
• 20 Minute Cashew Chicken