Baked Chicken Parmesan
Our easy, healthier Baked Chicken Parmesan is a classic recipe that every member of the family will enjoy. You can even prep this meal ahead and freeze for later using our instructions.
Servings: 6 cutlets (4-6 servings)
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain dry breadcrumbs sub: gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning crushed in hand
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper
- 1 large egg
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 - 2 pounds)
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or 1 ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into 6 slices
Instructions
Make It Now:
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil that’s been sprayed with cooking spray.
- Set Up Breading Stations: In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. In a second shallow dish, whisk together the egg and a splash of water.
- Slice Chicken Cutlets: On a cutting board, slice chicken in half lengthwise, resulting in 6 thinner chicken breasts (see article for pictures). Season the front and back of each chicken breast with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Bread Cutlets: 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. Press the mixture onto the chicken so it sticks. Place breaded chicken on the sheet pan. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Bake: Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the thickest piece registers close to 160°F internally with a meat thermometer.
- Add Topping: Top each chicken breast with about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce (enough to mostly cover the piece). Then, sprinkle about 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of each piece (or 1-2 slices of fresh mozzarella), as well. Put chicken back in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Serve: Serve warm over pasta, if desired.
- Freeze For Later: Follow Steps 2-4. Place in single layers in a freezer container or flat gallon-sized bag. Divide layers with parchment paper. Seal tightly and freeze. Freeze alongside a bag of shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Prepare From Frozen: Thaw chicken completely in the refrigerator over night. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Follow Steps 5-7.
Video
Notes
- Gluten-Free Version: Use or make gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Dairy-Free Version: Use breadcrumbs plus 1/2 teaspoon salt in place of the Parmesan cheese. Either omit the shredded mozzarella or use a dairy-free version like Daiya brand.
- Serve with Butter Noodles, Texas Toast, and Salad.
- Short-Cut: Use Italian dried breadcrumbs from the store and omit the garlic power and Italian seasoning.
- Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves. Read my honest review here.
- If you want to try a similar type of recipe that's a little fancier, definitely check out our Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Lemon Butter Sauce. Mmmm!