This chicken parmesan is smothered in an easy marinara sauce, topped with fresh mozzarella and packed with plenty of fresh basil. It’s also completely baked in the oven! Show
Whether you call it chicken parmesan, chicken parm or chicken parmigiana, we’re here today to celebrate it in all its glory. This glorious dish is usually initially fried, but today I’ll show you how easy it is to get a crispy chicken parmesan in the oven. Follow me… Chicken Parmesan BreadcrumbsThere’s nothing worse than a soggy chicken parmesan, but since it’s always at least half baked in the sauce, it’s never going to be teeth-shatteringly crispy. To give ourselves the best chance of the chicken itself being crispy we want to build up a nice crust. Panko BreadcrumbsPanko breadcrumbs are great because they’re big and airy. As such, once they’re baked they come out nice and crispy. A little trick to making them extra crispy is to toast them in butter before you coat the chicken. You can do this on a tray in the oven or a pan. Since we’re already going to be using a pan for the marinara sauce, it makes sense here to use a pan here for the breadcrumbs too. Process shots: melt butter (photo 1), add Panko (photo 2), mix to coat then lightly fry until golden (photo 3). Marinara Sauce for Chicken ParmesanA lot of chicken parmesan recipes call for store-bought marinara sauce, but it’s way too easy and delicious not to make at home. Here’s what you’ll need: Marinara Sauce Ingredients
Tomato PassataThis will make the base of the sauce. Tomato passata, which is essentially pureed & strained tomatoes, makes the perfect base for a marinara sauce because it’s nice and smooth. Because you’re going to be spreading the marinara sauce over the chicken you don’t really want big chunks of tomatoes. As such, I usually steer clear of canned chopped or plum tomatoes. Not a deal breaker though if that’s what you have, just make sure they’re smoothed out as you cook the sauce. In all cases just make sure you use good quality tomatoes for a richer and slightly sweeter flavour. Can I make the sauce ahead of time?Yep! If you want to make the sauce in advance and just focus on the chicken, you can definitely do so. Just allow to completely cool and tightly store in the fridge until needed. Reheat then use as necessary. Process shots: add onion to extra virgin olive oil (photo 1), fry then and garlic (photo 2), pour in passata and add basil, oregano and seasoning (photo 3), simmer until thickened (photo 4). How to coat Chicken ParmesanFor chicken parmesan, you’ll want to use chicken breast. From there it’s best to either butterfly the breasts right through or pound the chicken flat. This will ensure the chicken cooks evenly and at a similar rate to which the breadcrumbs crisp up. I like to pound the chicken because this also tenderizes it. How to pound chickenYou can do this with a mallet, rolling pin or heavy bottom pan. Anything like that. Just pop over some cling film and pinch around the edges so no juices escape. You’ll want to pound the chicken nice and thin, just so it goes nice and crispy in the oven. You’ll struggle to crisp up thick slabs of meat. Dredge the chickenDredging is a little messy BUT you’ve only got 4 breasts here so it’s not too bad here. Order of work is flour -> egg -> then finish in your crispy breadcrumbs mixed with parmesan. Top Tip – Ensure you thoroughly coat the chicken at each stage, namely the last stage. You want as much of the chicken to be coated in breadcrumbs and parmesan as possible! Process shots: lay cling film over chicken (photo 1), pound until even thickness (photo 2), remove cling film (photo 3), coat in flour (photo 4), coat in egg (photo 5), coat in breadcrumbs (photo 6). Once you’ve dredged the chicken it’s time to bake it. I highly recommend placing the chicken on a wire rack – this will allow the hot air to work its way around the chicken and help crisp the underneath too. After baking the chicken, it’s time to whack on the sauce and mozzarella. I also like a good pinch of parmesan because, well, chicken parmesan and all that. You won’t need to bake again, just grill/broil to cook the top. Process shots: add chicken to wire rack over tray (photo 1), bake (photo 2), remove (photo 3), add back on to tray without wire rack (photo 4), top with marinara sauce (photo 5), finish with mozzarella and parmesan (photo 6). Chicken Parmesan FAQCan I fry chicken parmesan?You can fry the chicken parmesan, and it will stay slightly crispier, it’s just obviously a little more effort and a lot more oil. I’ve added a section in the notes of the recipe card on this. Can I make chicken parmesan ahead of time?I generally don’t recommend making the entire thing in advance, just because the sauce seeps into the breading and it goes soggy, but you could do these steps in advance:
Then just dredge and bake from there! Serving Chicken ParmesanI recommend serving it up fairly swiftly; the longer it sits the less crispy the chicken will be. From there give it all a good helping of fresh basil. What to serve with chicken parmesan?The traditional pairing is spaghetti, but it’s also commonly served with Fries (or Sweet Potato Fries). If you want to add a little veg then go for some Roasted Broccolini or Garlic Green Beans. Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this chicken parmesan shall we?! How to make Baked Chicken Parmesan (Full Recipe & Video)
Marinara Sauce
Chicken
a) Passata - Passata is readily available nearly everywhere in the UK, but if for whatever reason you don't have it you can just sub 2x 14oz/400g cans of chopped plum tomatoes. In all cases try and go for a good quality brand or it may taste slightly sour. If this is the case just add a few pinches of sugar to balance out the acidity in the sauce. The longer you simmer the deeper the flavour. b) Panko - Panko breadcrumbs are great because they're big and airy, meaning when they're cooked they come out nice and crispy. Toasting them in butter means they'll turn out extra crispy (plus you get some of the gorgeous buttery flavour). I definitely recommend this step. You'll find Panko breadcrumbs in most stores, probably in the Asian section, but if you don't have them just sub regular dried breadcrumbs (try and find large breadcrumbs, not the dusty variety). I recommend weighing them (75g/2.6oz) because different sizes will produce difference cup sizes. c) Frying - I prefer shallow frying, but you can get away with using 3-4tbsp oil. I recommend 1 cup veg oil (higher smoking point than olive oil) and heat up until a breadcrumb rapidly sizzles, approx 356F/180C. Fry chicken breasts 1-2 at a time for 3-4mins each side until golden and crispy. Place on baking tray, top with marinara etc etc. d) Make Ahead - I don't recommend making the whole thing in advance, because the sauce makes the chicken soggy if left for a while, but you could do these steps in advance:
e) Calories - per chicken parmesan. Slightly overestimate as not all the ingredients are picked up during dredging. Nutrition Facts Baked Chicken Parmesan Amount Per Serving Calories 700 Calories from Fat 273 % Daily Value* Fat 30.29g47% Saturated Fat 13.167g66% Trans Fat 0.133g Polyunsaturated Fat 2.896g Monounsaturated Fat 10.082g Cholesterol 287mg96% Sodium 1447mg60% Potassium 1287mg37% Carbohydrates 34.87g12% Fiber 4g16% Sugar 7.67g9% Protein 69.59g139% Vitamin A 2245IU45% Vitamin C 26.6mg32% Calcium 488mg49% Iron 3.62mg20% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info. If you’re looking for another crispy breaded chicken recipe check out my Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders! For more similar recipes check out these beauties: Delicious Chicken Dinners
If you loved this Chicken Parmesan recipe then be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a question? Give me a shout in the comments and pick up your free ecookbook along the way! How long do you heat up chicken parm in the oven?Here's how to reheat chicken parmesan in an oven:. Preheat your oven to 325 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. ... . Put the leftover chicken parmesan in a dish and cover it with some aluminum foil to protect the chicken from burning. ... . Put the dish in your preheated oven and reheat the chicken parmesan for about 10 minutes.. How long should you cook breaded chicken in the oven for?Arrange the coated chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish, and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture and oil. Bake 30-35 minutes in the preheated oven, until internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
How long does it take chicken breast to bake at 400?A medium size chicken breast (5 to 6 ounces each), takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes to bake in a 400 degree oven. I always bake chicken breasts at 400 degrees Fahrenheit as the high temperature helps seal in the juices (and the flavor).
How long does parmesan crusted chicken take to cook?Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the chicken. Then, sprinkle evenly with the breadcrumbs. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees°F.
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