Easy Crispy Chicken Parmesan

5 from 7 votes

Chicken parmesan is a classic, comforting dish that pairs perfectly with pasta. Skip the trip to Olive Garden and make this simple chicken dish straight from home!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Chicken Resting Time10

Total Time45

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Lily Payen

Ingredients

1 lb thinly sliced chicken breast
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup marinara sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese
salt/pepper
1 tbsp Italian seasoning (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).
Pat the chicken breast dry and season them with a little salt and pepper to taste.
Dip each piece of chicken into the flour, shake off the excess flour, and set aside.
Whisk together the eggs until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and ½ cup parmesan cheese until combined (reserve the other ¼ cup of parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top).
Dip each floured piece of chicken breast into the egg mixture and shake off any excess. Immediately dip the egg-coated chicken into the breadcrumb cheese mixture, making sure to firmly pat the breadcrumbs into the chicken so that they stick. Repeat with each piece and set them aside. Let the chicken sit and rest for 10 minutes.
As the coated chicken pieces are resting, heat a pan with oil on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken breast pieces and pan-fry them for a few minutes per side. This is mainly to obtain the golden brown color and the chicken will continue to cook in the oven.
Once each side is golden brown, transfer the chicken pieces to a pan and layer each piece with a few tablespoons of marinara sauce, a few tablespoons of mozzarella cheese, and a few teaspoons of grated Parmesan cheese. If you'd like, sprinkle a little Italian seasoning on top of the cheese.
Bake the breasts for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.

Notes

Make sure that the chicken is fully cooked and reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F before removing it from the oven. If your chicken breast pieces are not thinly sliced, you may need to bake the pieces a few minutes longer.
If you prefer a more moist, saucy chicken parmesan, add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom of the pan, add the pan-fried chicken pieces, and coat with extra sauce and cheese. This might be a good option to soften chicken pieces for a younger baby.
Use a good quality marinara sauce as it really helps to bring this chicken parm to the next level! I love using Rao's homemade classic marinara sauce.
I like to slice the chicken pieces into thin strips to make it easier for my little ones to hold, but you can feel free to serve it in small squares or as is!

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