Baked Chicken Parmesan

Baked Chicken Parmesan is crispy, tender, and flavorful just like the classic Italian favorite, yet this recipe has been significantly lightened up.

Looking for more easy chicken recipes? Try out Baked Pesto Chicken, Chicken and Green Beans Skillet, Marry Me Chicken, and Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu.

One of my all-time favorite meals is Chicken Parmesan. Just like Skillet Lasagna, Oven Baked Meatballs, and Baked Ravioli, Italian-American dishes are my go-to comfort food!

And I especially love it when I can take a classically heavy dish, and make it a bit healthier at home, which is exactly what I have done in this recipe for Baked Chicken Parmesan!

Notes on Ingredients & Equipment

• Chicken: This recipe for works best with chicken cutlets, sometimes labeled as thinly sliced chicken breasts. However, you can easily use boneless, skinless chicken breasts that you cut into cutlets yourself, which is a huge money-saver!
• Panko: Panko breadcrumbs are lighter than traditional breadcrumbs and therefore crisp up better when baked. They are a MUST for crispy baked chicken parmesan.
• Parmesan: For the best flavor, use freshly grated parmesan cheese instead of jarred parmesan.
• Spaghetti Sauce: Use your favorite jarred or homemade spaghetti sauce, Instant Pot spaghetti sauce, or marinara sauce, not simply a can of tomato sauce for the best flavor.
• Mozzarella: Use fresh sliced mozzarella or shredded mozzarella. While fresh mozzarella is best in terms of flavor, shredded works!
• Sheet pan fitted with a baking rack: To achieve the crispy, lightest Baked Chicken Parmesan, the pan you use is crucial. Using a rack placed on top of a sheet pan will allow the heat to circulate evenly around the chicken allowing the breading to brown evenly.

Recipe Modifications

• Gluten-Free Option: Feel free to use an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend and gluten-free panko bread crumbs. 
• Egg-Free Option: If you have an egg allergy, you can use milk or almond milk in place of the eggs. It will help the breadcrumbs adhere to the chicken but does not work quite as well as eggs do. 
• Using an Air Fryer: If you are wanting to make Chicken Parmesan without turning on the oven, follow my recipe for Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan.

How to Make Baked Chicken Parmesan

Step One: Prepare Cutlets. Prepare the chicken by slicing chicken breasts into cutlets if your chicken breasts are on the thick side. To do this, place one hand flat on top of a chicken breast and holding a knife parallel to the cutting board, slice it horizontally, from the thick end to the thin end, into two even pieces. Once you have cut the chicken into cutlets, place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound chicken breasts with a meat mallet until each piece is even in thickness. Season each side of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

Step Two: Prepare the Breading Station. Set up three shallow dishes. In the first dish, mix flour with seasonings. In the second dish, whisk together eggs. In the third dish, mix breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and herbs.

Step Three: Bread Chicken. To bread the chicken, first dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off excess flour, then dip into the egg mixture, shaking off excess egg. Finally, coat the chicken with breadcrumb mixture, gently pressing the mixture into the chicken to coat. You want to be sure to fully coat the chicken in the breading so that every bite gets nice and crispy.

Step Four: Bake. It is important to bake the breaded chicken before coating it in sauce, to achieve that crispy exterior chicken parmesan is known for. Lightly spray chicken breasts with cooking spray, to help the exterior get nice and golden, and then bake chicken for 10 minutes, giving the breading enough time to become just golden.

Step Five: Finish with Sauce and Cheese. Once golden, add the chicken to a baking dish. Top each chicken breast with a couple of tablespoons of spaghetti sauce and 1 slice of fresh mozzarella or shredded mozzarella. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is browned and melted.

Serving Suggestions

Chicken Parmesan is best served immediately after preparation to keep the crispy integrity of the dish.

I recommend serving with a side of pasta, Homemade Garlic Toast, and a Copycat Panera Greek Salad, for one outrageously delicious meal.

Tips to Remember

Making crispy Baked Chicken Parmesan is not hard, but for the best results remember these tips.

• Use panko breadcrumbs. It will produce a much lighter, crispier breading than traditional breadcrumbs.
• Use the right pan. Using a sheet pan fitted with a baking rack will allow the chicken to crisp evenly on both sides and prevent the breading from becoming soggy.
• You need to bake the chicken using high heat. By using a high oven temperature, the breading has a chance to brown before the chicken gets overcooked.

More Italian Favorite Recipes

• Lasagna Soup
• Chicken Piccata
• Bolognese Sauce
• Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
• Easy Homemade Lasagna
• Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta

If you enjoyed this recipe for Baked Chicken Parmesan, I would love for you to leave a comment and rating below.