How To Make the Easiest Chicken Parmesan

Meghan Splawn
Meghan Splawn
Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.
Follow
updated Jan 29, 2020
(7)

Serves6 to 8

Prep25 minutes

Cook15 minutes to 20 minutes

pinterest
comments
Jump to Recipe
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

I’ve long relegated chicken Parmesan to a weekend-only meal — after all, it seemed to be the kind of dinner that required at least one hour of prep and dirtied so many dishes in the process. But recently I discovered an oven-baked chicken Parmesan that delivers all the golden, breaded, juicy chicken satisfaction in about half the time with fewer dishes.

Using just a sheet pan and few key ingredients, this easy chicken Parmesan is perfect for mid-week meals, and allows you to get a comforting dinner on the table without a ton of hands-on cooking. Here’s how to make an easy, oven-baked chicken Parm.

Watch
Easiest Chicken Parmesan
(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

Sheet Pan Chicken Parmesan Is a Dinner Win

A deep craving for chicken Parmesan inspired this shortcut version of the dinner classic. It tastes pretty darn close to the original, with half the effort. Instead of pan-frying chicken cutlets, we’re coating halved chicken breasts with toasted breadcrumbs and Parmesan, then baking them until crispy and cooked through. Finally, the whole sheet pan gets covered in sauce and cheese just before serving. Here’s everything you need to know about this easy chicken Parmesan.

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

The Easiest Way to Bread Chicken for Chicken Parmesan

Make the chicken thinner for quicker cooking. Classic chicken Parmesan usually calls for pounding breasts into thin, even pieces, but to speed up the process (and dirty fewer dishes), you’ll butterfly the chicken breasts in half, creating two thinner, faster-cooking pieces before you begin breading.

Toast the breadcrumbs in the preheating oven. Panko breadcrumbs make for a crispy coating, but it’s nearly impossible to get them golden-brown in the short time the chicken is in the oven. Give them a quick head-start in the oven as it preheats before you begin coating the chicken.

Use mayo to coat the chicken. Rather than relying on the frying oil to be a carrier of flavor, you’ll use a combination of egg and mayo to coat the chicken and keep the toasted breadcrumbs and Parmesan in place while baking.

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

Baking and Serving Sheet Pan Chicken Parmesan

Once the chicken is coated, you’ll bake it without the sauce and mozzarella cheese first. Your goal? Crispy chicken before the sauce is added. This is also a good time to cook your pasta if you plan to serve some with the chicken.

Once the chicken is cooked through, pour your favorite jarred pasta sauce over the chicken, top with cheese, and return to the oven for just a few minutes. The resulting chicken Parmesan is so perfectly golden and crisp, we often serve it without pasta at my house, and with a simple salad instead.

Best Chicken Parmesan Sides: 10 Easy Sides to Serve with Chicken Parm

1 / 10
Comments
(7)

Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Prep time 25 minutes

Cook time 15 minutes to 20 minutes

Serves6 to 8

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 4

    boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

  • 2 tablespoons

    olive or vegetable oil

  • 1 cup

    panko breadcrumbs

  • 1 cup

    grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1

    large egg

  • 1/4 cup

    mayonnaise

  • 1 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    garlic powder

  • 1 (22- to 25-ounce) jar

    marinara sauce

  • 1 cup

    shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

  • Cooked pasta and more marinara sauce, for serving (optional)

Equipment

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

  2. Butterfly the chicken breasts. Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally (also known as butterflying). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This is just a little extra insurance so that the coating will stick well.

  3. Toast the panko in the oven. Place the panko on the prepared baking sheet, add the oil, and toss to coat. Spread into an even layer. Toast in the oven until golden-brown, stirring halfway through, 3 to 4 minutes total; set aside to cool.

  4. Combine the egg, mayo, salt, and garlic powder. Place the egg, mayonnaise, salt, and garlic powder in a large bowl and whisk until smooth; set aside.

  5. Move the panko to a shallow dish and add the Parmesan. Transfer the cooled panko to a pie plate or other shallow dish, add the Parmesan, and stir to combine.

  6. Bread the chicken. Place the chicken in the egg mixture and toss with tongs until well-coated. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, press the chicken into the panko until coated on all sides. Place the coated chicken on the baking sheet. You may have leftover breadcrumbs.

  7. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, crisp, and golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

  8. Bake with the marinara sauce and cheese. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Pour the marinara evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with the mozzarella. Bake until the cheese is melted and golden-brown, about 5 minutes more. Serve with cooked pasta and more marinara, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Filed in:
cheese
chicken
children
dinner
easy
How To