Baked Chicken Parmesan
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Our easy Baked Chicken Parmesan is a classic recipe that every member of the family will enjoy. Be sure to read through our pro-tips and freezer meal methods to save yourself time and money!
Not only is Chicken Parmesan my favorite dish from my childhood, but it’s a family favorite around my house now, too. It’s also one of the first meals I ever learned to cook on my own, because it’s so simple and yummy.
If you couldn’t tell already, we have a thing for Chicken Parmesan Recipes. Here a few variations of this classic recipe:
I mean, can you blame us for coming up with all sorts of ways to combine the delicious flavors of breaded chicken, marinara, and cheese? I think not.
A Few Cooking Tips
1. Avoid Food Poisoning
You can definitely get sick from raw or undercooked chicken. So, be sure to keep all the raw chicken and the surfaces it touches away from everything else. Use a disinfectant spray or hot soapy water to wash your counter. Be sure to wash your hands with warm, soapy water immediately after handling.
2. Prepare Well
Read over the entire recipe carefully and make sure you understand all the steps before starting. Then, collect all the tools you’ll need. Here’s what you’ll need:
- plastic wrap
- 9×13 dish or baking sheet
- Cooking spray or vegetable oil
- Two shallow dishes or bowls
- Spoon
- Measuring cups
Work Ahead of Time:
You can bread the chicken ahead of time and put them in the fridge (for up to a day or so) until you’re ready to cook them. If you do this, set them out on the counter for about 10 minutes before putting them in the oven to take the chill off.
What Ingredients Do I Need for Baked Chicken Parmesan?
Here is what you’ll need to make this easy-peasy recipe. You probably have all of the ingredients already!
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- Egg
- A splash of milk
- Dried bread crumbs (you can use Italian seasoned bread crumbs, whole wheat, or Panko bread crumbs)
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Marinara sauce (Here is how to make your own marinara in the crockpot)
- Shredded Mozzarella cheese
Now, let’s get down to business. You’ll need about 10-15 minutes to prepare the chicken and another 25-30 minutes to bake it. Just follow these steps:
1) Preheat oven to 350°F.
2) Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish or pan with cooking spray and set aside. (Or you can cover it in foil or parchment paper for easy clean up.)
3) Cut the chicken in half lengthwise, creating chicken cutlets. So now your two chicken breasts have transformed into 4 thinner chicken breasts.
4) Sprinkle the front and back of each chicken breast with salt and pepper.
5) In shallow dish, whisk together egg and splash of milk. In another shallow dish combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
6) Dip chicken breasts, one at a time, in egg mixture, turning to coat. Allow excess to drip off. Then dip chicken pieces in breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat. Shake off the excess.
7) Place breaded chicken in greased 9×13 casserole dish and bake at 350° F for about 20-25 minutes, until it is no longer pink in the middle or the juices run clear. (Note: To check doneness, make a small slit in the middle of one chicken breast with a knife and pull open to make sure it is white, not pink.)
8) Top each chicken breast with a generous spoonful of marinara sauce. Spread sauce around the top of each piece of chicken. Then, sprinkle a few tablespoons of mozzarella cheese over the top of each piece, as well. It’s hard to overdo the sauce and cheese, so go for it. (I actually probably under did it in my pictures!)
9) Put chicken back in the oven for 5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve warm over pasta.
Can I Freeze Baked Chicken Parmesan?
Like many of our amazing freezer meals, we have provided methods to prep this meal ahead and freeze for later.
Freeze For Later: Bread the chicken and place in a single layer in a gallon-sized freezer bag or casserole dish. Seal the bag or tightly wrap the dish. Separately bag the marinara and cheese and freeze along with the breaded chicken.
Prepare From Frozen: When ready to eat, thaw the meal components in the fridge overnight. Or for a quick defrost method: Thaw chicken in the microwave on the defrost setting. Run the frozen marinara bag under warm water to defrost. Do not defrost the cheese. Then, bake the chicken as directed.
What to Serve with Baked Chicken Parmesan
I usually serve this dish with some whole wheat pasta (like angel hair, egg noodles, etc) that has been tossed with butter and Parmesan cheese. A side salad or steamed veggie and maybe some nice crusty bread would finish it off nicely.
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Simple Baked Chicken Parmesan is an easy, healthy and delicious recipe, perfect for any new cook.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 – 1.25 pounds)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- A splash of milk
- 2/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup of marinara sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish or pan with cooking spray (or rub with vegetable oil) and set aside.
- On a cutting board, slice chicken in half lengthwise, resulting in 4 thinner chicken breasts. Sprinkle the front and back of each chicken breast with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- In shallow dish, whisk together egg and splash of milk. In another shallow dish, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
- Dip chicken breasts, one at a time, in egg mixture, turning to coat. Allow excess to drip off. Then dip chicken pieces in breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat. Shake off the excess. Place breaded chicken in the casserole dish. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until it is no longer pink in the middle or the juices run clear. (Note: To check doneness, make a small slit in the middle of one chicken breast with a knife and pull open to make sure it is white, not pink.)
- Top each chicken breast with about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce. Spread sauce around the top of each piece of chicken. Then, sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese over the top of each piece, as well.
- Put chicken back in the oven for 5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve warm over pasta.
Freeze For Later: Follow Steps 2-4. Place the breaded in a single layer in a gallon-sized freezer bag or casserole dish. Seal the bag or tightly wrap the dish. Separately bag the marinara and cheese and freeze along with the breaded chicken.
Prepare From Frozen: When ready to eat, thaw the meal components in the fridge overnight. Or for a quick defrost method: Thaw chicken in the microwave on the defrost setting. Run the frozen marinara bag under warm water to defrost. Do not defrost the cheese. Then, bake the chicken as directed.
Amazing recipe “chicken parmesan recipe” shared by you. Thanks for sharing this food recipe. I will try at home by today.
THANKS!!! My super picky eater (if it’s called “Dinner” and mom made it, he won’t eat it) asked for 2nd’s, 3rd’s, 4th’s, and 5th’s of this dish. The only reason he ate it is because it looked like pizza! I thought I made enough for my husband’s lunch the next day, but I barely had any myself. The kids were eating it faster than I could cut it.
Ah, that makes me so happy. I know the exact scenario you described and that feeling of accomplishment as a mom when a new dish actually works for the whole family (especially those picky ones!). Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, Kristal.
I’ve heard that it is not healthy to thaw chicken and then re freeze it. Is this true? Most of the chicken I buy is already frozen?…
That is a myth. Here is what the USDA says: http://food.unl.edu/safety/safe-to-refreeze. I’ve been unfreezing and refreezing for seven years. Of course, you have to be careful to cook chicken, in particular, fully.
Can you add the print option to this wonderful recipe? Thanks!
Absolutely!
Love these recipes and hope to make some this week. BUT I want to print them to save, and several do not have a print function. How do I print these in a readable format without all the pictures? Thanks!
Hi Leta, thanks for the heads up on this recipe. Some of these are my older ones that I moved over from my old blog. I still need to go through many of them and update them with a print function. I’ll add that to the to-do. So sorry!
Hello, I am going to make this recipe this week it looks delicious! How should I reheat the chicken parm after I freeze it?
Nicole, I’m sorry to just now be getting back to you. To freeze this, package the uncooked, breaded chicken separate from the sauce and cheese. When ready to cook, thaw in the fridge over night (or in the microwave on defrost setting). Then, bake according to directions and add sauce and cheese at the end according to directions. I hope that helps!
Never knew it was okay to freeze breaded meat. Make chicken parm all the time. Family favorite thanks for the idea. What do you find is the best packaging for freezing to prevent freezer burn?
Thanks. Sue
I use the Gladware Ovenware because they stack nicely in the freezer. But, to prevent freezer burn make sure to cover the surface of the food within the pan with foil or plastic wrap and then put the lid on. Sometimes I even tape the lid down if it isn’t closing tightly. You can also use glass pans that have lids, but again just make sure the food is sealed off from air with the foil or plastic wrap.
Thanks, Pam. So glad you find my blog helpful!
Glad to see your blog open again. I got the link from a coworker (Shawn Bender) and have been reading for months. I just made some of your zucchini flax muffins and they were great. I am no stalker but do stop in to check out your amazing food blogs, thanks for sharing! Pam