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Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan is paired with a rich homemade marinara sauce and topped with creamy mozzarella cheese. A quick pan fry gives the chicken a super crispy coating then everything is popped into the oven to cook slowly and evenly so the baked chicken parm is tender and juicy on the inside and the cheese is melted and bubbly. You’ll have this hearty Italian classic on the table in just 40 minutes.
Turn plain old chicken breast into a meal that will turn heads with this easy baked chicken parm. Dredged in flour and coated in a breadcrumb and parmesan cheese mixture, parmesan baked chicken breast is pan fried until it’s crispy then baked to juicy perfection. The simple homemade marinara is rich and flavorful and really makes this dish come alive.
If you love crispy chicken try my Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders, Crispy Oven Baked Popcorn Chicken, or Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Chicken Parmesan Bake
- It’s flavorful. Chicken parmesan is everything we love about Italian food. The crispy, yet juicy chicken, rich marinara and creamy cheese all in one bite.
- It’s easy. Crispy fried chicken and homemade marinara sauce are both made with pantry ingredients. Who knew you could make something so good in just 40 minutes!
- It’s a family favorite. Everyone will love this baked parmesan crusted chicken. It’s kid friendly and loved by adults.
Chicken Parmesan Ingredients
- Olive oil: a neutral flavored oil will allow the flavor of the other ingredients to shine through.
- Aromatics: I used yellow onion and garlic.
- Tomatoes: tomato paste and crushed tomatoes create the base of a flavorful homemade marinara.
- Herbs and spices: Italian seasoning, sugar, red chili flake, salt, pepper and fresh basil season the sauce.
- Chicken breasts: cut whole chicken breasts in half lengthwise.
- Seasoning: season the chicken with onion powder, salt and ground pepper.
- Eggs: use these to help the coating to adhere to the chicken.
- Seasoned bread crumbs: for a super crispy coating.
- All-purpose flour: for dredging the chicken.
- Vegetable oil: for frying
- Cheese: use freshly grated parmesan and fresh mozzarella cheese.
- Fresh basil: for garnish.
How To Make Chicken Parmesan In The Oven
- Prepare the marinara sauce: Heat a saucepan with olive oil, add yellow onion and garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes until onions turn translucent. Add in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasonings, sugar, red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens a bit. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the fresh basil leaves and set aside.
- Prepare the equipment: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a baking dish and set aside.
- Season the chicken: Season the chicken with onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Prepare the coating: Whisk the eggs in a wide bowl. To a separate bowl combine seasoned bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and keep it ready.
- Dredge the chicken: Dredge the chicken in flour and then egg and then to the breadcrumbs mixture.
- Fry until golden: Deep fry or shallow fry the chicken until crispy and golden on both the sides.
- Add cheese and bake: Place the fried chicken breasts in a baking dish. Spread about 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce over each fried chicken breast. Top with mozzarella cheese slices. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cheeses are melted and bubbling.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish the crispy chicken parmesan with fresh basil and serve.
Tips To Make This Quick and Easy Chicken Parmesan
- It’s easy to double or triple this recipe.
- Serve leftover marinara over pasta or freeze for later use.
- Red chili flake adds a bit of heat to the marinara but can be omitted.
- Sugar helps to cut the acid in tomato sauce but you can leave it out.
- Slice whole chicken breasts in half lengthwise to form two pieces.
- If your chicken pieces are of uneven thickness, pound them slightly.
- Dry the chicken well before dredging and coating in eggs and breadcrumbs.
- Add a little panko to the breadcrumb mixture for even more crunch.
- Don’t crowd the pan when pan frying the chicken. Cook in batches if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Covering can cause the parmesan crust to become soggy. Leave the chicken uncovered so the coating gets crispy.
This chicken parmesan is quickly deep fried or shallow fried until the crust is golden brown to ensure a crispy crust then baked until the chicken is cooked through. To make this healthier, you can skip the pan fry and place the coated chicken directly in the dish with the marinara. The chicken will still be tasty, but the crust will not be crispy and crunchy.
A quick pan fry ensures that your chicken will have a crispy coating but the cooking is done in the oven. If you don’t want to fry the chicken first, place the breaded chicken onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Top with sauce and cheese as directed and return to the oven for another 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the cheese is melted.
Prepare the recipe through step 5. Place the breaded chicken breasts in the air fryer basket and spritz the tops with a bit of oil. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes at 400 degrees F. Flip the chicken breasts over and add top with marinara and cheese. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese has melted and chicken is cooked through.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave.
To freeze this, place the cooked and cooled chicken parmesan into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in an oven set to 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave.
Pasta is a classic side to serve with parmesan baked chicken breast or you could try Mashed Potatoes or Cauliflower Rice. Bring in some vegetables with these recipe, Strawberry Spinach Salad, Oven Baked Brussels Sprouts or Garlic Butter Mushrooms. Oh, and don’t forget the Homemade Roasted Garlic Bread.
More Classic Italian Recipes
- Chicken Scampi Pasta
- Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira
- Baked Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna
- Creamy Chicken Alfredo Lasagna
- Easy Baked Spaghetti Pasta
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Crispy Baked Chicken Parmesan recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
To prepare marinara sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- ¼ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
- ½ tsp Salt , to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper, to taste
To prepare chicken parmesan
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts , cut lengthwise (4 pieces)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, ground
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Fresh basil, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Prepare the marinara sauce: Heat a saucepan with olive oil, add yellow onion and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions turn translucent.
- Add in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasonings, sugar, red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens a bit. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the fresh basil leaves and set aside.
- Grease a baking dish and set aside.
- Season the chicken with onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Whisk the eggs in a wide bowl. To a separate bowl combine seasoned bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and keep it ready.
- Dredge the chicken in flour and then egg and then to the breadcrumbs mixture.
- Deep fry or shallow fry the chicken until crispy and golden on both the sides.
- Place the fried chicken breasts in a baking dish. Spread about 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce over each fried chicken breast. Top with mozzarella cheese slices. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cheeses are melted and bubbling.
- Garnish the crispy chicken parmesan with fresh basil and serve.
Notes
- It’s easy to double or triple this recipe.
- Serve leftover marinara over pasta or freeze for later use.
- Red chili flake adds a bit of heat to the marinara but can be omitted.
- Sugar helps to cut the acid in tomato sauce but you can leave it out.
- Slice whole chicken breasts in half lengthwise to form two pieces.
- If your chicken pieces are of uneven thickness, pound them slightly.
- Dry the chicken well before dredging and coating in eggs and breadcrumbs.
- Add a little panko to the breadcrumb mixture for even more crunch.
- Don’t crowd the pan when pan frying the chicken. Cook in batches if needed.
