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My chicken parmigiana recipe features golden fried chicken cutlets topped with homemade marinara sauce and heaps of melty cheese. Way better than anything from a restaurant!
Need more Italian-inspired chicken recipes? Try my chicken marsala, chicken Florentine, chicken caprese, and chicken piccata next!
Chicken parmigiana is one of those dishes every Italian restaurant has on their menu (and the one dish I ALWAYS order!), but very few actually do it justice.
The trick comes down to simplicity. With a few pantry staples, you can have crispy, juicy chicken. Add some red sauce and melted mozzarella cheese into the mix, and you have pure, simple Italian comfort food.
What is chicken parmigiana?
Funny enough, the chicken parmigiana recipe originated in the US in the early 20th century. It features crispy chicken cutlets covered in tomato sauce, parmesan, and mozzarella, all layered and baked until the cheese melts.
You may also see it abbreviated as chicken parmesan, or if you’re in Australia, you’d call it chicken parma or chicken parmi!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Layer upon layer of flavor. We’re talking panko-crusted chicken fried and topped with a homemade red sauce and TWO layers of gooey cheese. What’s not to love?
- Extra crispy and savory. Each piece of chicken is coated in panko and parmesan cheese, and when fried, it creates a gorgeous parmesan crust.
- A surefire family favorite. My family raves over my chicken parm, and I guarantee yours will too.
- Quick and easy. Okay, maybe not as quick as my air fryer chicken parmesan, but it’s super speedy compared to other parts out there!
- Leftovers! As much as I love fresh chicken parm, I have to say I love a chicken parmi sub even more. We always make some with our leftovers!
Ingredients needed
For the tomato sauce:
- Olive oil. To sauté the aromaitcs.
- Onion and garlic. Two key aromatics. If possible, I prefer using fresh over powders.
- Tomato paste. For a rich tomato flavor and to thicken the sauce.
- Diced tomatoes. Opt for a good quality brand (I like San Marzano) since this’ll be the base of the sauce.
- Italian seasoning. I just used a store-bought seasoning blend. You can always adjust the flavor with even more dried herbs, like oregano, basil, and parsley.
- Sugar. To help neutralize the acidity of the tomatoes and balance the sauce.
For the chicken parm:
- Chicken breasts. Buy boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them in half, or keep it simple and buy pre-cut chicken breast cutlets.
- Kosher salt and black pepper. To season the chicken and sauce.
- Thyme. Use dried or fresh thyme.
- Onion and garlic powder. To season the chicken.
- Eggs. To dredge the chicken.
- Flour. Also to dredge the chicken. I just use plain all-purpose flour.
- Panko bread crumbs. I always prefer panko over regular breadcrumbs, which are lighter and hold onto less oil, keeping the chicken crispy.
- Mozzarella. The finishing layer of chicken parm. I prefer fresh mozzarella over shredded mozzarella cheese as the fresh stuff melts more smoothly.
- Parmesan cheese. Some will be added to the breaded and some as a topping. I prefer freshly grated when possible.
- Frying oil. Like avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil.
- Parsley. For garnish.
How to make chicken parmigiana
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Build the red sauce. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, then add the tomato paste and cook for one minute. Add the canned tomatoes and spices and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
Step 2- Season the chicken. Cut the chicken breasts in half and pound with a meat mallet. Sprinkle seasonings over the chicken.
Step 3- Assemble the station and dredge. Add flour to one bowl, beaten eggs in the second bowl, and breadcrumbs with half the parmesan in the third bowl. Dredge the chicken in each bowl, shaking off any excess.
Step 4- Fry. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the cutlets for 4 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Step 5- Assemble. Preheat the oven to 375F/190C. Place the chicken in a baking dish and pour the sauce on top, followed by parmesan and sliced mozzarella.
Step 6- Bake. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and it begins to turn golden.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Don’t skip pounding the meat. Getting the cutlets thin and even in size allows them to cook faster, so they stay crispy without getting soggy. It also helps the center remain juicy.
- Use my homemade tomato sauce(es). Many of you love my pomodoro sauce and sugo, and both work for this recipe. Of course, a store-bought marinara sauce is also fine.
- Consider your pan. I like frying chicken in a thick, heavy duty pan, like cast iron or a Dutch oven. I find it retains heat better and guarantees even browning.
- Serve the chicken parm over a bed of pasta for a more complete meal.
- Garnish the dish with fresh basil for a pop of color.
Storage instructions
To store: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To freeze: Allow the leftovers to cool completely, then store them in a freezer-safe container for 3-4 months.
Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 350F/175C or the air fryer at 300F/149C until warm and crispy.
Frequently asked questions
Too much moisture on the chicken!! Sorry for screaming, but it’s the #1 reason why this happens. Pat them dry with paper towels before breading them. Seriously, it makes all the difference.
Yes! I tested this recipe with gluten-free panko and gluten-free flour. The only suggestion I have is to cut back on the flour because it can be a little sticky.
More Italian-inspired recipes to try
- Linguine with clam sauce
- Eggplant lasagna
- Lamb ragu
- Seafood lasagna
- Or any of these Italian recipes
Chicken Parmigiana Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 14 oz canned tomatoes diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Chicken parm
- 2 large chicken breasts skinless and boneless
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 4 oz parmesan cheese divided
- 4 oz mozzarella sliced
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet and once hot, add onion and garlic and cook until they have softened. Add tomato paste and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly. Add the canned tomatoes and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook with occasional stirring until the sauce thickens, around 6 minutes.
- Cut the chicken breasts in half and pound them gently with a meat mallet. Season them with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, and onion powder.
- Prepare three shallow bowls for dredging the chicken. Add flour to one, the beaten eggs in the second, and the panko bread crumbs with half the parmesan cheese in the third.
- Dredge the chicken in flour, then in the egg wash, and finally in panko and parmesan mix, pressing firmly to adhere. Shake off any excess.
- Heat some oil in a non-stick skillet and place over medium heat. Fry in the skillet until golden and crispy, around 4 minutes per side.
- Preheat the oven to 190C/220F. Place chicken in a baking dish, divide the sauce equally on each piece of chicken, and sprinkle the rest of the parmesan over the sauce. Add the sliced mozzarella on top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and it begins to turn golden.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published March 2023, updated and republished October 2024
I think my Italian friend would like this so much. But one question-what for is sugar here? Flavour?
Wow this is so Italian food. I like Italian culture so much.
So many spices and flavours and so much cheese. It sounds really Italian.
Exactly the recipe I was looking for. I used Italian bread crumbs instead of panko, because that’s what I had on hand. Next time I’ll try it with panko to see if I like it as much.
Absolutely delicious. I cooked this in the air fryer and they were juicy and crispy.
Italian delight at its best, We love this presentation😛