Go Back
–+ servings
Chicken parmesan atop a bed of spaghetti noodles.
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Crispy Chicken Parmesan

This Chicken Parmesan is super crispy and topped with a delectable homemade tomato sauce and gooey mozzarella cheese! It's super easy to make and worth every second.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 4
Calories: 671kcal
Author: Catherine McCord

Equipment

  • 2 large sauté pans
  • Baking sheet

Ingredients

For the Marinara Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 8 basil leaves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • pepper, to taste

For the Chicken:

Instructions

For the Sauce:

  • Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 4 minutes or until translucent.
  • Add the garlic and continue to cook an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, 4 basil leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until sauce is thick and fragrant. Remove basil leaves and set sauce aside.

For the Chicken:

  • Place 3 deep bowls in an assembly line. Whisk the eggs in the first bowl. In the second bowl combine the panko, garlic powder, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, and 1 teaspoon salt. Place the flour in the third bowl.
  • Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of parchment paper and with a meat tenderizer or mallet, pound the chicken evenly, about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
  • Take a piece of chicken and coat evenly first in the flour, then the egg and finally with the panko mixture. Press the panko on to the chicken for better adherence. Set a aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken. At this point, chicken can be covered and refrigerated up to overnight or frozen up to 3 months until ready to use.
  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coated chicken and cook 3-4 minutes on each side until golden or internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  • Remove the chicken to a parchment lined baking sheet and evenly top each chicken breast using 1/2 of the tomato sauce. Divide 1/2 cup parmesan cheese evenly on top of the tomato sauce. Add the mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to turn golden. If you want to further brown the cheese, place under the broiler for a couple minutes, keeping an eye on it so it doesn't burn.
  • Serve chicken parmesan on top of cooked spaghetti with remaining sauce on the side.

Notes

Uniform Thickness: Pounding the chicken breasts to a uniform thickness before breading ensures that they'll get extra crispy and cook evenly. If you don't have a meat mallet or tenderizer you can use a heavy bottomed pan to pound the chicken.
Proper Breading Technique: When breading the chicken, follow the proper breading process. Dip in flour, then egg, then the panko mixture. Make sure you press the panko onto the chicken for better adherence and a super crispy exterior!
Broil for Extra Crispiness: I love when the mozzarella cheese has a bit of brown to it and the chicken has some extra crispiness. To achieve this, pop it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Make to to keep an eye on it to prevent burning.
Store Bought Sauce in a Pinch: I prefer to make the tomato sauce homemade for this recipe, but in a pinch you can use your favorite store bought sauce. Opt for a sauce that is relatively thick for the best results.
Serve Immediately: Chicken Parmesan is best served immediately to preserve the crispiness of the chicken and gooeyness of the cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 671kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 1543mg | Potassium: 1159mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 974IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 481mg | Iron: 5mg