Calling all chicken parm lovers! This is the one you’ll be craving again and again. It isn’t called the Ultimate Chicken Parm for nothing! The chicken breasts are as crispy and juicy as ever. The sauce is absolutely tangy and perfectly tomato-y. And what is chicken parm without all the ooey, gooey, melty cheese on top?! We couldn’t imagine a world where that savory goodness is missing. We highly recommend serving the Ultimate Chicken Parm over a fluffy bed of angel hair pasta, but hey, you’re the chicken parm expert here! You eat it as you please!
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 3 large chicken breasts, halved horizontally to make 6 fillets
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic or onion powder
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- angel hair pasta, optional, to taste, cooked and warm, for serving
For the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 14 ounces tomato purée
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
For the cheese topping:
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced, can substitute shredded mozzarella
- 1/3 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 430 degrees F.
Step 2 –Lightly grease an oven tray with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 3 –In a shallow dish, whisk the eggs, 1 tablespoon of the garlic, the parsley, the salt, and the pepper together.
Step 4 –Add the chicken fillets to the egg mixture and rotate to evenly coat.
Step 5 –Cover the shallow dish with plastic wrap and allow the chicken fillets to marinate for at least 15 minutes and up to overnight.
Step 6 –In another shallow bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs, the Italian breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese, and the garlic powder together in a separate shallow bowl.
Step 7 –Dip the marinated fillets into the breadcrumb mixture and evenly coat.
Step 8 –Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering.
Step 9 –Add the fillets to the oil and fry until they are golden and crispy, about 4-5 minutes each side. It’s okay for them to not be fully cooked.
Step 10 –While the fillets are cooking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium pot.
Step 11 –Add the onions to the oil and cook until transparent, about 3 minutes.
Step 12 –Add the remaining garlic to the onions and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Step 13 –Add the tomato purée, the salt, the pepper, the Italian herbs, and the sugar to the onion mixture, cover, and simmer until the sauce slightly thickens, about 8 minutes.
Step 14 –Taste and adjust the sauce with more of the salt and the pepper as needed.
Step 15 –Place the crispy fillets on the prepared baking tray and top each with 1/3 cup of the sauce.
Step 16 –Top each of the fillets with 2-3 slices of the fresh mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons of the remaining parmesan cheese.
Step 17 –Sprinkle the fillets with the basil.
Step 18 –Bake the chicken parm in the oven until the cheese is bubbling and melted, and the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 19 –Serve the chicken parm with the warm pasta.
