Description
Classic Chicken Parmesan featuring crispy breaded chicken cutlets topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. This quick and easy stovetop recipe delivers a comforting Italian favorite perfect for a family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
Breading
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- â…“ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 egg
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
Cooking & Topping
- ¼ cup cooking oil
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Use a sharp knife to carefully fillet the chicken breasts lengthwise into two cutlets, making four cutlets total. Alternatively, you can use pre-cut chicken cutlets to save time.
- Season Chicken: Lightly season both sides of each chicken cutlet with a pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder to evenly distribute the flavors.
- Bread Chicken: In a wide shallow bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. In another bowl, whisk the egg until smooth. Place the flour in a third bowl. Dredge each chicken piece in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in the egg mixture ensuring full coat, allowing excess to drip off. Finally, coat the chicken thoroughly in the seasoned breadcrumbs on both sides.
- Cook Chicken: Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the breaded chicken cutlets. Cook on the first side until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.
- Top and Finish: Flip the chicken cutlets and reduce heat to medium. Spoon 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce onto each piece and sprinkle ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese over the top. Cover the skillet with a lid to melt the cheese, warm the sauce, and ensure the chicken cooks through fully, about 5 to 7 minutes more.
- Serve: Remove from heat, top with chopped fresh parsley if using, and serve immediately. Ideal paired with spaghetti and extra marinara sauce for a complete meal.
Notes
- For extra crispy chicken, use panko breadcrumbs instead of regular breadcrumbs.
- Make sure the oil is hot before adding chicken to prevent sticking and promote browning.
- Covering the skillet during the finishing stage helps melt cheese and cooks chicken evenly without drying it out.
- Use fresh mozzarella cheese if preferred, but note it may require slightly longer melting time and can release more moisture.
- Chicken cutlets can be made ahead and refrigerated before breading for convenience.
