This baked chicken parmesan recipe is a lightened-up version of an Italian classic. Cut way back on calories by avoiding the excess oil used in deep-frying. Instead, bake your chicken parm in the oven and enjoy a timeless dish without sacrificing flavor (or your goals to eat healthier)! This ultra-easy recipe is also perfect for a busy weeknight and comes together in under 45 minutes.
The flavors in this dish are so perfectly balanced, your mouth will be jumping for joy. Crunchy, breaded chicken topped with bright tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella and aromatic basil! It’s the perfect combo.
If you’re craving Italian for dinner and want a healthy twist, be sure to check out my Baked Caprese Chicken, Low-carb Pepperoni Cauliflower Crust Pizza, Eggplant Pizza Bites, Pesto Spaghetti Squash With Shrimp, Zucchini Lasagna or Low-carb Eggplant Lasagna!
How To Make Baked Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- Chicken — You’ll need two, boneless and skinless chicken breasts.
- Breadcrumbs — Look for Italian breadcrumbs at the grocery store. However, plain breadcrumbs mixed with Italian seasonings will also work. You can also make this recipe with panko bread crumbs id you prefer.
- Parmesan cheese — I generally buy a block of parmesan cheese and grate it by hand for the best flavor. Plus, a block of parm will last for a long time in the refrigerator when cloaked tightly with plastic wrap, so you can use it in all kinds of recipes!
- Seasonings — Garlic powder, salt and ground black pepper.
- Egg — Allows seasoned breadcrumbs to stick onto chicken.
- Fresh mozzarella — Fresh mozzarella is markedly better in this recipe than pre-shredded/bagged cheese, which won’t melt very smoothly or taste nearly as good.
- Tomato sauce or marinara sauce — If you’ve got the time, try making batch of my quick tomato sauce. It’s super tasty, but you can also use your favorite brand of tomato sauce from the store!
- Fresh basil — Chopped fresh basil smells incredible, plus it adds beautiful color and flavor to this dish.
- Olive oil or cooking spray — For greasing your baking sheet and coating breaded chicken before baking.
Instructions to make Oven-baked Chicken parmesan
Bread the chicken:
- To make this easy chicken parmesan, preheat your oven to 400°F so it can warm up while you get the chicken ready. Then, line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat lightly with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray.
- Slice each chicken breast in half, lengthwise, to create four separate pieces (chicken cutlets).
- Whisk egg vigorously in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a separate bowl (wide and shallow dish or baking dish will work best) mix Italian breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Dip each piece of chicken in the whisked egg and then coat thoroughly with bread crumb mixture.
Bake the chicken:
- Line breaded chicken on your prepared baking sheet and lightly coat the top of each piece baking spray.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until golden with an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove chicken from the oven. Add a tablespoon of tomato sauce to each piece, then top with fresh mozzarella.
- Bake the chicken for 3-5 more minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh chopped basil.
Serve:
- Allow chicken to rest for a few minutes. Serve your crispy chicken parmesan over pasta of your choice, zucchini noodles or a green salad if desired. Enjoy this best chicken parmesan!
Recipe Tips
- You don’t have to line your baking sheet with aluminum foil, but it does make for much easier cleanup. If you don’t have any, simply spray non-stick cooking spray directly on your sheet.
- Try to cut chicken into uniform pieces! This will help with quick, even cooking.
- If you can’t find Italian breadcrumbs at the store, buy plain ones and then mix in some Italian seasonings.
- If you need a gluten free variation of this recipe, look for gluten free breadcrumbs! Many stores carry them nowadays.
- I highly recommend using fresh mozzarella for this recipe because it undeniably offers the best taste and melts much better than pre-shredded/bagged cheese.
- Let your chicken rest for a few minutes before digging in! This will help the meat retain moisture and keep it from tasting dry.
- You can replace chicken for eggplant to make it eggplant parmesan, turning it into a vegetarian recipe.
- If you don’t have eggs, you can replace it for melted butter.
How To Store Leftovers
- To store: Allow leftovers to cool and place them in an airtight container, then refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: This recipe also freezes well. Place leftovers in a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe food storage container and store frozen for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: I prefer reheating my chicken in the oven, toaster oven or air fryer because the breading will get crispy again using these methods. Simply preheat to 350°F and bake or air fry for 5-10 minutes, or until warmed through completely. You can also microwave your leftovers, but the breading will likely become soggy. Don’t forget to add extra sauce and mozzarella if you’ve got some!
More Chicken Recipes
A easy baked chicken dinner recipe is always perfect on a busy weeknight, and I’ve got lot. Be sure to check these out, you won’t regret it!
- Spicy Chicken With Cauliflower Rice
- One Sheet Roasted Chicken And Vegetables
- Creamy Parmesan Chicken Skillet
- Chicken And Mushroom Recipe
- Chicken Stroganoff
Frequently Asked Questions
You certainly can, but beware that shredded parmesan may not stick to the chicken as well as grated.
If your chicken is tough or rubbery, there’s a good chance it’s overcooked. I really like using a food thermometer so I can tell exactly when my chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and promptly remove it from the oven.
Be sure to dip each piece of chicken in whisked egg, and really ensure that it’s covered thoroughly before coating in breadcrumbs. The egg will help bind breading to the chicken.
Serve Baked Chicken Parmesan With
Baked Chicken Parmesan Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- black pepper and salt
- 1 large egg
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- chopped fresh basil for garnishing
- olive oil or cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a foil-lined baking sheet with olive oil or cooking spray. Set aside.
- Slice both chicken breasts in half, lengthwise, so that you have 4 pieces. Set aside.
- In a wide and shallow bowl, add Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients well to combine.
- In a separate and small bowl, whisk one egg.
- On the countertop, arrange your work in order. First, place the chicken, then the egg, followed by the breadcrumb mixture, and finally the baking sheet.
- Dip one piece of chicken into into the egg, then the breadcrumbs (make sure the crumbs stick to all sides). Place breaded chicken on the baking sheet and repeat until all pieces are coated in crumbs.
- Lightly coat the tops of the chicken with baking spray.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove from the oven. Spoon 1 tablespoon of sauce over each piece of chicken and top with a slice of mozzarella cheese.
- Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted (about 3-5 minutes).
- Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes and sprinkle with basil before serving. You can serve it over pasta or zucchini noodles, if desired. Enjoy!
Tips
- Using foil is optional but makes cleanup easy. You can also apply oil or non-stick cooking spray directly to the baking sheet.
- Make sure chicken pieces are similar in size so they bake evenly.
- If you can’t find Italian breadcrumbs, use plain and mix them with Italian seasonings.
- Need a gluten free version of this recipe? Most stores sell gluten free breadcrumbs!
- Fresh mozzarella cheese is preferable as it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before eating, this will help keep it moist.
- To store: Store leftover baked chicken parmesan in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: You can reheat this recipe in the oven, air fryer or microwave. I prefer using the oven or air fryer as it will “re-crisp” the breading. Add some extra sauce and mozzarella when reheating if you’ve got it on hand!
- To freeze: Once cooled, transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
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Mary Thornton says
I like to try this recipe of chicken
Olivia says
Please, try it. You’ll enjoy it 😉
Karly says
Love love love this. It’s perfect as it is, but would be SO good on low carb bread or over zoodles/spaghetti squash, too! Cannot wait to try!
Olivia says
Mm… these are delicious suggestions, Karly 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
Jay north says
I love the primavera kitchen recipes but I’d love it even more if each of them had nutritional info listed. Thanks either way!!
Olivia says
The new recipes now come with the nutritional info. We also added the nutritional info for the most popular recipes too 😉
Lisa says
LOVE THIS!! Easy & so good! I clicked on the link for the tomato sauce and made that also…Fantastic!! This recipe will be around our house for awhile!!! Kid & adult approved!!
Olivia says
Awesome!! Happy you and your family enjoyed this recipe 😉
Allison says
This was so good!!! Finally found a good crispy baked chicken!
Olivia says
So happy to hear that 😉
K Parnell says
Totally delicious, and so easy to make! While this was the first time I made this, it certainly will not be the last! The next time I make it, I think I’ll spice it up a bit more. But again – totally delicious as is!
Olivia says
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Kathy says
My family loved this it was delicious! 😋
Olivia says
Awesome!