Description
Classic Chicken Parmesan featuring tender breaded chicken cutlets topped with melted mozzarella, marinara sauce, and parmesan cheese, baked to golden perfection and garnished with fresh basil for an authentic Italian-American main course.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken
- 3 chicken breasts, sliced in half length-wise to create 6 cutlets
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (can also use gluten-free flour blend or white whole wheat)
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp Italian herb blend (thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
For the Topping
- 6 slices mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the chicken parmesan.
- Tenderize Chicken: Place the chicken cutlets in a large ziplock bag or between two sheets of parchment paper. Firmly pound with a rolling pin or the smooth side of a meat hammer until chicken is about 1/2 inch thick. Remove from the bag and pat dry with paper towels.
- Prepare Breadcrumb Mixture: In a shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs, shredded parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, Italian herb blend, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly.
- Set Up Breading Stations: Arrange three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with whisked eggs, and one with breadcrumb mixture to create an assembly line.
- Bread the Chicken: Coat each chicken cutlet first in flour on both sides, shaking off excess. Dip into the whisked eggs, then press into the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring an even, thorough coating on both sides. Repeat with all cutlets.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil at a time in a cast iron skillet or pan over low to medium heat. Brown each breaded chicken cutlet for 2-3 minutes on each side until the breading is golden and crisp.
- Layer and Bake: Arrange the browned chicken cutlets in a large baking dish. Top each cutlet with a slice of mozzarella and spoon marinara sauce evenly over them. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 14 minutes.
- Add Final Topping and Broil: Remove the baking dish from the oven, sprinkle shredded parmesan cheese over the cutlets, then broil on high for 1 minute until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh basil over the baked chicken parmesan and serve immediately.
Notes
- For a lighter version, bake the chicken instead of frying by placing breaded cutlets in a generously oiled baking pan and spraying or brushing with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes, then add toppings and bake 5 more minutes before broiling.
- This dish pairs excellently with any type of pasta or an Italian-style salad such as a Tuscan artichoke salad or an Italian chopped salad.
- Serve alongside crusty Italian bread or country sourdough for a complete meal.
- To save time, you can tenderize multiple chicken breasts simultaneously using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- Using freshly grated parmesan cheese enhances the flavor compared to pre-shredded cheese.
- Gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs can be used for dietary preferences without sacrificing taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
