Classic Chicken Parmesan (Family Recipe)

Learn how to make my family’s chicken parmesan recipe! This Italian-American classic consists of breaded chicken that is typically pan-fried and then baked with rich tomato sauce, Italian cheese, and herbs. My family has enjoyed this recipe for many years, and it is undoubtedly the best I’ve ever had. Whether you like the chicken pan-fried like the traditional version or baked to use less oil, this recipe has a method for both. From my family to yours!

My family has been making this chicken parmesan for as long as I can remember. It was my favorite growing up, and I often asked for it to be made on my birthday when my mom made us a special dinner. I learned to make this dish alongside my mom at a young age, so it brings me great joy to share such a beloved family recipe with you all!

A few things that make this recipe special are tenderizing the meat before assembling the dish, using homemade breadcrumbs for a crisper breading, and using a quality marinara for rich flavor. We love to use our homemade San Marzano tomato sauce – another recipe of my mom’s that is so loved.

Although the roots of chicken parmesan (also known as chicken parmigiana) point back to Italy, it’s actually an Italian-American dish. Whether it’s authentic Italian or not, it will always be one of my family’s favorites!

One reader, Steve, made this: “Excellent – hate to say it, but better than my favorite Italian restaurant…“ ★★★★★

Ingredients

Use the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and measurements.

Chicken breasts – use boneless skinless chicken breasts, then slice each breast in half length-wise to create two cutlets. Or you can use pre-cut breasts, also known as chicken cutlets.
Flour – use all-purpose flour or white whole wheat for dredging the chicken in. This is used to 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 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 in the pan-fried method to brown the chicken in batches. If you instead bake the chicken, you’ll only need a little oil.
Parmigiano Reggiano – I like to use freshly grated and finely grated Parmigano Reggiano for the best flavor and breading texture. It will add a rich, salty flavor and a beautiful, cheesy crust. It is also used to sprinkle over the chicken parm when it bakes!
Fresh mozzarella cheese – used for layering over the chicken for baking. You can use shredded or sliced pieces of mozzarella.
Dried Italian herbs – I like to season my own breadcrumbs using a dried Italian herb blend.
Garlic powder – used for flavoring the breadcrumb mixture.
Black pepper & salt – for flavor.
Fresh basil – for sprinkling over top of the finished chicken parmesan!

How to Make Chicken Parmesan – Step by Step (Baked and Pan-Fried Method)

First, prepare the chicken and ingredients!

Next, bread the chicken!

Brown the chicken!

Lastly, layer and bake! (Pan-fried method continued)

Difference Between Baking Chicken Parm vs. Pan-Frying

I have two options for browning/cooking the chicken parmesan in this recipe. 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 parmesan that uses quite a 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. This requires a little effort but is always delicious!

The baked method uses 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 healthier!

One reader, Alyssa, made this with the baked method: “This was soooo good! I ended up making it solely by baking and it came out so crispy! My boyfriend thought I picked it up from a restaurant.“ ★★★★★

Tips for Success

Use tongs for less mess. If you prefer not to use your hands, you can use kitchen tongs to bread the chicken!

Use quality marinara. This recipe is so delicious 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 is a cast iron skillet. This heavy-duty pan gets hot quickly and helps brown the breading perfectly for this recipe. If you don’t have a cast iron pan, you can use stainless steel.

The best pan to bake chicken parmesan in. In the years I’ve spent making chicken parmesan with my mom, she always used stainless steel baking pans – never glass. Her reason for it is the stainless steel pans heat up much quicker than glass, so it leaves for a crustier chicken. We’ve found baking it in glass yields a softer, almost soggier crust.

Make your breadcrumbs. I always recommend making your breadcrumbs to elevate the taste and texture of chicken parmesan. It takes minutes to do and makes a world of difference from store-bought. Use my homemade breadcrumb post for reference!

Make it gluten-free. If you’d like to make this recipe gluten-free, 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. We like Bob’s Red Mill one-to-one gf flour blend.

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

Tips For Freezing

Freezing tips (2 ways):
Freeze chicken parm: as the recipe instructs, let cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container. Freeze for 1-2 months. When ready to serve, let thaw at room temperature, cover in foil, and bake at 425F until warm.

Freeze chicken cutlets: Another way to freeze is by breading the chicken cutlets and browning them in a pan (they need to be fully cooked through). Let cool to room temperature before storing in freezer-friendly bags (air removed). Freeze for 1-2 months, thaw at room temperature, and assemble in chicken parmesan when ready to bake.