So easy. So classic. So delicious. Ultimate Chicken Parmesan will satisfy the Italian-food urge and kindly keep you comfy at home. In your cozy kitchen, you will quickly brown up some juicy, crispy chicken breasts, top them with rich marinara sauce, melty mozzarella, and sharp parmesan cheeses and then let your oven do all the magic. With your family joined around the dining room table, Ultimate Chicken Parmesan will always be a warm welcome guest!
Ingredients
- 2 (3/4-pound) large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated, divided
- 1/4 cup panko
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more, to taste
- 1 1/3 cups marinara sauce
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- basil, optional, to taste, freshly chopped, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2 –Line an 18×26-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3 –On a cutting board with a sharp knife, cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 pieces.
Step 4 –Cover the chicken pieces with parchment paper or wax paper and, with a meat mallet, pound the chicken pieces to about a 1/2-inch thickness.
Step 5 –Transfer the chicken breast pieces to a large platter.
Step 6 –In a large shallow bowl, add the flour.
Step 7 –In a second large shallow bowl, add the eggs and whisk to combine.
Step 8 –In a third shallow bowl, add the breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, the panko, the salt, the black pepper, the Italian seasoning, and the garlic powder and whisk to combine.
Step 9 –Add the chicken breast pieces to the flour mixture and coat them well. Gently shake off the excess flour.
Step 10 –Dip the flour-coated chicken pieces into the egg mixture to coat.
Step 11 –Place the egg-coated chicken pieces in the breadcrumb mixture until covered, pressing to adhere on both sides.
Step 12 –In a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil.
Step 13 –Add the dredged chicken breast pieces to the heated oil and cook until each side of the chicken is browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. You may need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding, adding more of the extra oil before each batch, as needed.
Step 14 –Transfer the browned chicken breast pieces to the prepared baking sheet.
Step 15 –Evenly spoon about 1/3 cup of the marinara sauce over top of each piece of the chicken.
Step 16 –Evenly top each piece of the chicken with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining parmesan cheese.
Step 17 –On the middle rack, bake until the cheeses are melted and the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the juices run clear, about 14-20 minutes.
Step 18 –Serve immediately, garnished with the fresh basil.
