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A black dinner plate filled with a pile of cooked fettuccine topped with a chicken parmesan cutlet topped with melted mozzarella cheese.

Chicken Parmesan (Parmigiana)

Course: Italian
Cuisine: Italian, Italian / American
Keyword: authentic chicken parmigiana, easy chicken parmesan recipe, how to make chicken parm
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Marina (make ahead of time): 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 637kcal
This Chicken Parmesan is the real deal. So good. And so classic American Italian. Making this with homemade marinara is critical to its success. Awesome.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Large saucepan and rimmed baking sheet

Ingredients

  • 4 5 oz. chicken breasts pounded to a ¼-inch thickness
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp milk whole
  • ½ cups bread crumbs Italian, fine
  • ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tsp oregano dried
  • 1 tsp basil dried
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 cups fresh marinara sauce plus more for serving
  • 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese shredded (or use grated)
  • 2 cups mozzarella shredded, or sliced
  • ¼ tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken cutlets. Set aside.
  • Set up a dredging station by placing the flour on a plate or in a dish large enough to fit at least one of the cutlets. In another bowl or pan add the eggs with the milk and lightly beat them together. Mix together the breadcrumbs, cheese, dried herbs, and 1 tsp of salt and transfer to a plate or another bowl or pan.
  • Working one cutlet at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour to fully coat, shaking off any excess. Dip into the egg wash and turn it over until fully coated. Allow excess egg to drip off. Add the cutlet to the breadcrumb mixture and turn it over to coat, using your fingers to help the mixture adhere to the chicken. Set on a large plate or platter, and continue this process with the remaining cutlets.
  • In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the butter and stir until melted.
  • Once the butter is bubbling, add the cutlets and cook them for about 8 minutes per side, or until they are a deep golden brown all over. You can do this in two skillets to expedite the cooking process. Don't overcrowd your pan! Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels.
  • Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the marinara sauce over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until fully heated.
  • Transfer the cutlets to a baking sheet. Spoon on about a ¼ cup of the marinara over each cutlet. Sprinkle about 1 tbsp of the grated Parmesan on the marinara, and then place about ½ cup of the mozzarella on the top.
  • Place in the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and is gooey, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Serve with pasta and more marinara sauce. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Video

Notes

If you can't find thin chicken cutlets, then purchase large boneless, skinless breasts and cut them in half, lengthwise.  Place the chicken, one piece at a time, into a large freezer baggie and pound them with the side of a mallet, or the bottom of a measuring cup or bottler, until approximately  ¼" in thickness. 
We like using a combination of fine breadcrumbs and Panko.  However, you can use all fine breadcrumbs or all Panko, and still have great results. 
The marinara sauce can be made up to 5 days in advance and kept in the fridge in an air-tight container, or can be frozen for up to 2 months. 
Be sure not to scoot the cutlets around too much while they are frying in the pan.  Try to pick them up with tongs or forks as little as possible.  Too much handling will cause the breading to pull away from the chicken. 

Nutrition

Calories: 637kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 744mg | Potassium: 204mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 964IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 492mg | Iron: 4mg