The Best Chicken Parmesan {Family Recipe}
Learn how to make authentic chicken parmesan! The most tender breaded chicken topped with hearty tomato sauce, melted cheese, and lots of herbs. This chicken parm recipe is one my family has been making for years and to this day is the best I’ve ever had! Whether you like it baked or pan-fried, this recipe has a method for both.
From my family to yours!

Chicken parmesan (also known as chicken parmigiana) is an American-Italian dish that consists of tender breaded chicken covered in marinara with melted mozzarella & parmesan cheese!
You’ll find that this chicken parmigiana is similar to the famous Italian dish eggplant parmesan, also known as “parmigiana di melanzane” in Italy. Even though eggplant parm is a beloved Italian classic, you’ll be surprised to know chicken parmesan is not Italian! But rather, Italian-inspired.
It’s believed that Italian immigrants here in America drew inspiration from eggplant parmesan to then make it with chicken (and even veal!).
Whether it was Italian or not, I knew one thing to be true growing up… That my mom made the best chicken parmesan around! No restaurant or other recipe has ever compared.
This dish is a family favorite and has been served for all of our family birthday dinners, holidays, and special occasions for years! It’s truly beloved.
You’ll find every bite filled with fall-apart juicy chicken, rich homemade tomato sauce, and so much flavor.
Ingredients – What You Need
Below you’ll find the full list of ingredients needed for this recipe!
Chicken cutlets or breasts: use boneless skinless chicken breasts, then slice each breast in half length-wise to create 2 cutlets.
Flour: use all-purpose flour or white whole wheat for dredging the chicken in. This helps brown the chicken.
Eggs: an egg mixture is used to help the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken after coating it in flour.
Breadcrumbs: for the breading mixture – you can use store-bought panko breadcrumbs or use homemade breadcrumbs.
Marinara: use a quality store-bought marinara sauce or make a homemade sauce! See below for my top recommendations.
Olive oil: oil is used to brown the chicken in batches. It’s also used in a smaller portion for baking the chicken if you use that method.
Parmesan cheese: is used to add cheesiness to the breadcrumbs and for sprinkling over the chicken at the end!
Fresh mozzarella cheese: layer over the chicken and for sprinkling over the top! You can use shredded or sliced pieces of mozzarella.
Dried Italian herbs: are used to season the breadcrumbs so the chicken has lots of flavor.
Garlic powder: for flavoring the breadcrumb mixture.
Black pepper & salt: for flavor!
Fresh basil: for sprinkling over top of the finished chicken parm!
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How to Make Chicken Parmesan – Step by Step (Baked and Pan-Fried Method)
First, prepare the chicken and ingredients!
(1) Tenderize the chicken – Place chicken cutlets/breasts in a large ziplock bag, and firmly pound with a rolling pin or smooth side of a meat mallet – chicken thickness should be 1/2 inch.) After, pat the chicken cutlets dry with a paper towel.
(2) Set up an assembly line of three shallow bowls with the breadcrumb mixture, flour, and egg mixture.
Next, bread the chicken!
(3) Flour – First, dip the chicken cutlets in the flour on both sides. Shake off the excess flour.
(4) Egg – Then, transfer floured chicken and dip in egg mixture on both sides.
(5) Breadcrumbs – Last, dip both sides of the chicken in bread crumbs. Evenly coat and pack breadcrumbs lightly using your hand.
Brown the chicken!
(6-7) Pan-fry the chicken – In a cast-iron skillet or heavy pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the breaded chicken and brown for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden in color. Then lay the browned chicken in a large stainless steel baking dish.

Lastly, layer and bake! (Pan-fried method continued)
(8) Mozz! First, layer the mozzarella slice on each cutlet.
(9) Sauce! Then spoon a general amount of sauce over top.
(10) Bake…then parm! Bake the chicken parmesan uncovered for 14 minutes at 425F. Then sprinkle parmesan over top and broil on HIGH for the last minute.
Difference Between Baking Chicken Parm vs Pan-Frying
In this recipe, I have two options for browning/cooking the chicken parmesan. I love both, but for different reasons! Here’s the difference between the two methods.
The pan-fried method is the traditional method for chicken parm that uses quite of bit of oil to brown the chicken cutlets in a pan. This method only browns the chicken, so it is not fully cooked and needs to be baked in the oven for the chicken parmesan to be finished. So this requires a little effort, but is always delicious!
The baked method uses a lot less oil and bakes the chicken completely in the oven. The first chunk of the baking time is for the chicken to cook through and the crust to brown, then the last few minutes are for layering the sauce and melting the cheese. In my opinion, the results are almost identical to the pan-frying. This method saves time, uses less oil, and is overall a healthier version!

Tips for Success

choosing the right baking vessel
Our Favorite Stainless Steel Pans
Growing up, my mom ALWAYS used her stainless steel hotel pans for Italian recipes – especially chicken parmesan. We recommend using them over glass baking dishes because of how well they heat up and help perfectly cook the chicken! They've been a staple in our kitchen for years.
- Chicken breast vs chicken cutlets. For chicken parmesan, you can use either chicken breast or chicken cutlets. The difference? A chicken breast is a whole thing; a chicken cutlet is a slice of meat cut from a chicken breast. It is generally thinner than the whole breast.
- Use quality marinara. What makes this recipe so delicious is using my family’s San Marzano Tomato Sauce or this fresh tomato sauce. But when we don’t have homemade sauce, we also love to use our favorite store-bought sauce!
- The best pan for browning chicken. Use a cast iron skillet for browning chicken. This heavy-duty pan gets hot quickly and helps brown the breading perfectly for this recipe. You can also use stainless steel if you don’t have cast iron on hand.
- Make your own breadcrumbs. To elevate the taste and texture of chicken parm, I always recommend making your own breadcrumbs. It takes minutes to do and makes a world of difference from store-bought. Plus you can customize it if you want the breadcrumbs to be healthier or gluten-free!
- Best baking vessel. my mom always recommends using a stainless steel pan for baking chicken – especially chicken parm. It will heat up fast, stay hot, and keep the chicken crispy – not soggy!
- Make it gluten-free. If you’d like to make this recipe gluten-free friendly, you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs or make your own breadcrumbs using your favorite gluten-free bread! Also, use a gluten-free flour blend to dredge the chicken in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the breading falling off my chicken? This is because of the liquid/moisture that is already on the chicken breasts. The best way to avoid this is by patting the chicken breasts dry with paper towels before breading them! This will ensure the breading stays on the chicken and doesn’t slip off when baked.
How can I prevent a soggy chicken parmesan? To avoid a soggy bottom, don’t over-sauce your chicken parmesan! Also using a thicker consistency marinara helps too. A few other things are using stainless steel pans for baking (not glass) and leaving it uncovered to get crisp edges! Once you cover chicken parm, it traps the moisture and will begin to soften the crust.
Why is my chicken parmesan tough? One of the best ways to avoid “tough” chicken parm is to tenderize the meat! This step is used in my recipe by pounding the chicken cutlets in a ziplock bag. This not only makes them thinner to cook faster but breaks down the meat and changes the texture to be super tender once it’s baked!
Our Favorite Ways to Serve It
Pasta. Chicken parmesan pairs so well with pasta. We like to serve it with whole grain/whole wheat pasta like penne, farfalle, rigatoni, or spaghetti!
Zoodles. If you’re looking for a lighter side to pair it with, you can do zucchini noodles or vegetable noodles as a healthier replacement for pasta.
Salad/greens. We love to serve this with our Tuscan artichoke salad, Italian salad, or this cannellini bean salad!
Bread. And of course, some crusty Italian or sourdough bread on the side is a must!
Tips For Freezing & Storing Leftovers
Keep leftovers fresh: store cooked chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. To reheat, place in a baking tray and cover with foil, bake at 350F until warm.
Freezing tips (2 ways):
Freeze chicken parm: as the recipe instructs, let cool the room temperature and then store in an airtight container. Freeze for 1-2 months. When ready to serve, let thaw at room temperature, and cover in foil, and bake 425F until warm.
Freeze chicken cutlets: another way to freeze is by breading the chicken cutlets and browning them in a pan. Let cool to room temperature before storing in freezer-friendly bags (air removed). Freeze for 1-2 months then thaw at room temperature and assemble in chicken parmesan when ready to bake.
Other Delicious Italian Recipes to Try
- Baked Eggplant Rollatini
- Classic Eggplant Parmesan
- The Best Vegetable Lasagna
- San Marzano Tomato Sauce
- Sweet & Spicy Italian Sausage Lasagna

If you tried this The Best Chicken Parmesan (Parmigiana) recipe or any other recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, and FACEBOOK for more crave-worthy content.

The Best Chicken Parmesan (Parmigiana)
Learn how to make authentic chicken parmesan! Tender breaded chicken topped with hearty tomato sauce, melted cheese, and lots of herbs. This recipe is one my family has been making for years and to this day is the best I’ve ever had! Whether you like it baked or pan-fried, this recipe has a method for both.
From my family to yours!
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3 chicken breasts, sliced in half length-wise to create 6 cutlets (see notes for difference)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour can also use gluten-free flour blend or white whole wheat
- 3 eggs, whisked
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1/2 tsp (each) salt & pepper
- 2 tsp Italian herb blend (thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
For the Topping
- 6 slices Mozzarella
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425F
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Tenderize chicken: place chicken cutlets/breasts in a large ziplock bag, and firmly pound with a rolling pin or smooth side of a meat hammer (chicken thickness should be 1/2 inch). Remove cutlets from the bag and pat dry with paper towels.
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Breadcrumbs: In a shallow dish, mix all of breadcrumb ingredients together.
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Assembly line: Set up a line of shallow bowls/dishes with flour, whisked eggs, and breadcrumbs.
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Bread the chicken: First, coat the chicken in flour on both sides, then shake off the excess flour that isn't sticking. Transfer to whisked eggs, then dip into the breadcrumbs. Use your hands to gently pack the breadcrumbs onto each side of the chicken. Repeat until all the cutlets have been breaded.
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Brown the chicken: Heat 3 tablespoons of oil at a time in a cast iron skillet or pan on LOW to MEDIUM heat. Brown chicken for 2-3 minutes on both sides until the breading is golden.
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Layer and bake: arrange browned chicken in a large baking dish or pan. Layer first with mozzarella slices then tomato sauce over top. Bake uncovered in the oven for 14 minutes – remove from oven then sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese. Then broil on HIGH for 1 minute until the cheese is melted and browned. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve!
Instructions for Baked Chicken Parmesan
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If you would like to use less oil, use this baking method instead! I love making chicken parmesan this way and the results are almost identical to pan-frying.
Baked method: preheat oven to 450F. Follow steps 2-5 above, then after breading the chicken, lay the cutlets in a generously oiled baking pan. Spray the chicken with olive oil, or brush with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from oven and layer with mozzarella, sauce, and parmesan and bake for 5 additional minutes. Broil on HIGH for the last minute for the cheese to brown. Serve with fresh basil!
Did you make this recipe? Share your photos and tag @asimplepalate #asimplepalate.
Hello,
I am about to make this recipe tonite and am curious why you put the cheese before the sauce? I’ve never seen it done that way before. Thanks
Hi Carmella! It’s the way my mom taught me how to layer it 🙂 no need to layer it like that if you’d prefer to do the two cheeses on top.
Recipe was spot on. I used the suggested oven method because I ran out of time to fry and still get dinner on the table in time. Drizzled with olive oil before baking. Whole family loved it. Thank you!
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed the oven method. I love that one as well!
This is an amazing recipe! Only downside is that now everyone wants me to make it all the time! I substituted with gf flour and gf breadcrumbs and is outstanding!
Thank you, Carol! It is a process, but always worth it!
Joined this page after seeing the chicken parm and the tomato/marinara recipes. Right up my alley and consistent with original family recipes I use. Can not wait to explore this site and collect good recipes. I am the worst not even a cook in America and learning to cook better food so my family can stop suffering my creations.
Oh! Forgot to add, wife hates frying in oil so learning to adapt to air frying. Done chicken picante successfully so this should not be hard to adapt.
So happy to have you here! Hope you enjoy the recipes 🙂
you didnt put a temp !!!! its kinda important ! 🙁 fack
Hi Lisa, the oven temperature has always been in the recipe card. 425F
Ok, so I was out of marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan (not sure how that happened). But I substituted Salsa, havarti and a spicy Gouda. It was fantastic!
So glad to hear it, Shannon! Thanks so much for sharing!
I’ve made this a couple times now and every time it comes out great. The only change I made is using pre-made tomato sauce.
I’m so happy to hear it, Thank you!
Best parmigiana I’ve ever had! Have printed this recipe and will continue using for years to come.
Thanks so much, Angela! Means so much to hear that. 🙂
Excellent merci beaucoup pour la vidéo très relaxe Super 🍅🍅🍅🥰🥰
You’re so welcome, Claude! 🙂
This was absolutely amazing. My family and friends loved it! I will definitely be making again! Thank you for sharing your family recipe — it is truly the gift that keeps on giving!
Thanks so much, Megan! So so happy to hear it.
Comes out perfect every time. Thank you Bethany.
So happy to hear it, thank you Chris!
Hello Bethany,
Thank you for the wonderful recipes. I have taken the Chicken Parmigiana, the Eggplant Parmigiana, the San Marzana Tomato Sauce and your Vege Lasagna recipes to work into my menu very soon. I know that these will be most wonderful. I am reducing the carbs and sugar from my diet and I think these will work in a most satisfying way.
Thank you again,
Sam
Hey sam! Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy all of those recipes! We have lots of lower carb options on the blog, so I hope you find them helpful and tasty. 🙂
Can it be made the day before?
yes! Then just reheat in the oven covered with foil until warm.
Hi! Made this recipe. Very easy and very tasty! Quick question: what is the secret to keep the crunchy crust at the bottom from falling off?
-AA
Hi Alan! Really happy you enjoyed the recipe! As far as the bottom breading not falling off, I’d make sure first, that the egg coats over the floured chicken completely – this will ensure the breadcrumbs will stick. And then brush the pan you’re using with a little bit of oil! Let me know if that helps. I’ll have to test it for myself as well 🙂
Bethany! OMG, this is seriously the easiest and best chicken parmigiana that I have ever made thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I have been looking for a great parmigiana recipe for a long time and this is the recipe that I need it!
Thank you so much! I’m so pleased you enjoyed it. 🙂
Excellent. Did not have mozzarella so used Monterey Jack and it was delicious
AWESOME
Amazing authentic…..recipe could use some more seasoning!Buon appetite
These chicken parmigiana are very delicious! Its a great recipe & perfect for family dinner.
Couldn’t agree more! Thank you, Albertina!
I made this last night for a dinner party and it was absolutely amazing! My husband said it was the best chicken parm he has ever had and the man eats a lot of it!
I won’t cook it any other way now! My family loves this!!
Just made this! And oh so yum!
Thank you, grace! So happy to hear 🙂
Awesome recipe! Tried it and was amazing! Big hit with the family, the chicken was so moist and just fell apart.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you, Stacey 🙂
I made this and it is delicious! Very easy to make too! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! I served it over spaghetti squash, to keep the carbs down and it was wonderful!
Thank you, Amy! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it so much 🙂
Delicious and most of all easy ! I use this recipe every time ..love it .
I’m thrilled to hear it! Thanks so much, Camilla!
Excellent, thank you.
I have made this 3 times now.
The first time was the best. But that time we only had extra mature cheddar.
The second time I had all the ingredients, but it wasn’t as good, because the mozzarella releases too much water.
It’s important not to over cook the chicken in the frying stage. Overcooked bread crumbs is not good.
I liked this dish served with polenta. It has become a family favourite dish.
Thank you, Tim! I’m really glad you enjoyed the recipe so much 🙂
This was YUMMMAZING! Thank you so much for this simple, wonderful recipe. It was a huge hit with my family. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
P.S….If you are out of breadcrumbs, croutons make a great substitute. 😋
I’m so happy to hear it was such a hit! Great idea with the croutons! 🙂 I will remember that.
This was so good. Being a garlic lover, I’d add more. My husband said this was gourmet. He’d never order it in a restaurant now. Great compliment. LOVED IT!
I’m never against more garlic! 😉 And so so happy to hear you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing.
Sooooo good. I added extra garlic and 1.5 tbsp brown sugar and did 20 min in Instant Pot for the sauce
So happy to hear! Love the instant pot sauce. Thanks for sharing!
So good, my go to from now on. Thank you!
Wonderful! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂
Just as good as Tony’s Dinapoli by the Sondheim Theater in New York which is as my mother’s (taught by Mrs. Spinelli nextdoor) was.
Such a compliment. Thank you, Michael! 🙂
Excellent – hate to say it, but better than my favorite Italian restaurant…
wow, such a compliment! Thank you, Steve. 🙂 super happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Tried the recipe tonight. It was amazing! Definitely one of the best chicken parmigianas I’ve had. Thank you!
Thank you, Geetha! Means a lot to hear that. So happy you enjoyed it!
This is delicious. I made for my family and my wife and kids love it. I added blue cheese on top instead and boy!,… it’s amazing! Thanks for the recipe. I definitely recommend this to my friends.
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you, Ally! 🙂
This recipe is AMAZING. I will eat this for the rest of my life! So good and easy-peasy.
That makes me smile. Thanks so much, Rose! So glad you loved it 🙂
This was easy and soooo good! I will be making this again for guests. Huge hit with my husband!
Thank you Heidi! I’m so happy to hear it was a success 🙂
Cant wait to try this recipe thank you ?
The homemade breadcrumbs made all the difference. Thank you for the amazing recipe! My family loves it!
I’m so glad to hear you made the breadcrumbs – they really are a game changer! 🙂 So happy you enjoyed it.
I’m going to follow this recipe I hope it comes out the way it says because when I make it something always goes wrong. I always cut the cutlets in half so they are thin I thought that was ok but I guess I still have to pound them out. Plus the sauce comes out to thick or something after I bake it so I stopped making it for dinner and my husband loves it
I hope it works out for you! I do my best to simplify and explain cooking steps to ensure success.
Hello! Can’t wait to try this recipe! Quick question, I typically place the sauce first on the chicken then the mozzarella but in the directions it’s mozzarella first then the sauce, is this a mistake or the mozzarella should be put first on the chicken (step 7). From the images it looks like sauce first?
Hi Nicole! Yep, you read correctly. In classic chicken parmigiana’s the mozzarella is placed first, then the sauce, then the parmesan! You can do the order however you please though. 🙂
Wow it looks so good. Do you have Italian roots? Because you are so good at cooking our recipes, I ve read some of them on your blog and they’re very similar to our traditions. You have a new subscriber!
Thank you so much Sara! My family is from New York/Jersey city. No Italian roots – Just the NY way. I learned from my mom and she was Italian taught. 🙂 So glad you enjoy my blog!
Made it for the fam tonight,turned out amazing… love this recipe!!!!
yay! So so glad you all enjoyed it! 🙂 Thanks, Kimberly!
I’ve made this 3 times now and my family loves it! Even my daughter who does not like chicken very much…she ate every last bite on her plate! Thanks for a great recipe 🙂
Yay! So happy you and your family enjoy this recipe 🙂
This is hands-down, the best chicken Parmesan I have ever had !!!!! The sauce is so yummy . Thanks for sharing the secret family recipe ?
I’m SO glad you liked it Julie!! Thank you! <3
For the lower carb/healthier option how long do you bake the chicken?
same time to bake!
Looks sooooo yummy Bethany… can’t wait to make it!
You’ll have to let me know how you like it! ❤️
Love Chicken Parm and this is a great recipe!
Thank you! 🙂