This easy homemade chicken parmesan is a comfort food classic that the whole family will love. Breaded fried chicken is topped with red sauce and melty cheese and served over pasta.
I’m a big fan of easy chicken recipes, especially when grocery prices are just going up and up. From creamy one pot chicken gnocchi soup for dinner to honey butter chicken biscuits for breakfast, there’s nothing you can’t do with this versatile protein.
This chicken parmesan is another one of my favorite recipes. It’s easy to make, full of classic restaurant-style flavor, and everyone always asks for more.
I love serving it with garlic knots and crock pot Italian green beans for a hearty, affordable, and delicious comfort food dinner.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses basic ingredients you have in your kitchen or can find in your local grocery store.
- Simple Process: This is an easy recipe that only takes a few steps and about 45 minutes from start to finish.
- Simply Delicious: Every bit of this classic Italian dish is loaded with tender, juicy chicken in a seasoned, fried breading, homemade sauce, and melty mozzarella cheese!
- Customizable: You can easily tweak this recipe to make it your own.
- Kid-Friendly: This is one of those dishes that even the pickiest kid loves, making it perfect for any family.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Seasonings: A blend of Cajun seasoning, garlic salt, and black pepper gives the coating a zesty kick of flavor.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk creates the glue that holds the panko in place, while adding a little tang.
- Parmesan: Parmesan adds an earthy, bold, cheesy flavor to the breading.
- Tomato Sauce and Paste: Tomato sauce and paste, along with some basil and oregano, create a simple, homemade spaghetti sauce.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella cheese adds the classic cheesy flavor and melty texture we love in this recipe.
Variations
- Chicken Breasts: You can use chicken thighs for a richer flavor.
- Spaghetti Sauce: You can use your own homemade sauce or buy your favorite jarred brand.
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes to the panko breading for a spicy version.
- Spaghetti: You can use your favorite noodles for this recipe. Both long and short varieties will work.
How to Make Chicken Parmesan
I’ve included an overview of this easy recipe here, but you’ll find the exact instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Combine the spaghetti sauce ingredients and bring to a slight boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer while you make the chicken.
- Add flour and seasonings to a large baggie. Then, whisk the buttermilk and eggs in a shallow bowl, and combine the panko and parmesan in another shallow bowl.
- Coat the chicken breasts in the flour, buttermilk, and panko. Then, fry them until golden and crispy on both sides.
- Place the fried chicken on a baking sheet, and top them with sauce and mozzarella.
- Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted.
- Serve over pasta and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Your oil is ready for frying when it sizzles if you flick a drop of water into it.
- Give your chicken a gentle tap between dredges for the perfect coating.
- Fry your chicken in small batches to ensure the oil stays hot and the coating gets crisp.
- Use a meat thermometer to check your breasts for doneness. They’re ready when the internal temperature registers 165°F.
Chicken Parmesan FAQs
There’s no one secret. Rather, it’s a combination of variables. First, be sure your panko and Parmesan are fresh for the best flavor. Second, use buttermilk and egg for the binder to add more flavor and improve the texture of the coating. Third, ensure your oil remains hot for a crispy coating, rather than a soggy one.
Begin with a base layer of flour. This combines with your second layer, a buttermilk mixture, to create a glue. From there, coat the breasts with panko. It will stick to the “glue” created by the flour and buttermilk mixtures.
The flavors of chicken parmesan work well with both more savory spaghetti sauces or sweeter marinara varieties. It all comes down to personal preference. Even jarred sauces work well.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes to Try
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Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp Slap Ya Mama® seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
For the Spaghetti Sauce
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 8 oz water
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 8 oz spaghetti pasta, cooked according to package directions
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 slices mozzarella cheese, sliced on the thicker side
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° when chicken is almost done frying.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet.
- Using a medium saucepan, add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, oregano and basil. Stir and bring to a slight boil. Reduce heat and simmer while the chicken is cooking, stirring occasionally.
- In a large baggie, add flour, seasoning, garlic salt and pepper. Shake to combine.
- In a shallow container or bowl, whisk buttermilk and eggs together.
- In another shallow container, combine bread crumbs with Parmesan cheese.
- Start our by adding two pieces of chicken to large baggie with the flour mixture, seal and shake to coat.
- Remove chicken breasts and place one at a time in the egg mixture, coat both sides and then transfer into the bread crumb mixture.
- Place coated chicken breasts into hot oil and cook for about 6 minutes on each side.
- Remove chicken from skillet and place on plate lined with paper towels until the remaining chicken has finished cooking.
- Once the chicken has been fried, place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Top each piece of chicken with spaghetti sauce and a slice of mozzarella cheese.
- Place in the oven on 350° for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
- Cook pasta according to package directions, rinse and set aside.
- Remove chicken from oven. Add pasta to plate, top with additional spaghetti sauce and place chicken on top of spaghetti noodles. Enjoy!
Notes
- Your oil is ready for frying when it sizzles if you flick a drop of water into it.
- Give your chicken a gentle tap between dredges for the perfect coating.
- Fry your chicken in small batches to ensure the oil stays hot and the coating gets crisp.
- Use a meat thermometer to check your breasts for doneness. They’re ready when the internal temperature registers 165°F.
Nutrition
Have Pinterest
Here are a few pics that are the perfect size for pinning to Pinterest.
Enjoy, Terri
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