Better-Than-Restaurant Chicken Parmesan
Let’s get one thing straight—if there’s a comfort food hierarchy, Chicken Parmesan is sitting at the top wearing a crispy golden crown. And when it’s homemade with a legit marinara that doesn’t come from a jar? Game. Over.
This recipe is giving crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and then fully drowning (in a good way) in melty mozzarella and saucy perfection. It’s a whole vibe.
Chicken Parm might feel like a restaurant-only dish, but I promise it’s super doable at home. You don’t need a Nonna (though that would help), just a good pan, the right layering moves, and a lil confidence.
Fun Fact Break: Did you know Chicken Parmesan isn’t actually from Italy? It’s an Italian-American invention. In Italy, they’ve got eggplant Parm (Parmigiana di Melanzane), but the chicken version is basically a delicious lovechild born in New York and Philly back in the day. You’re welcome, world.
What Makes This One The One
- We’re using homemade marinara, because if you’re gonna bread and fry chicken, you might as well commit.
- The chicken is soaked in eggs and coated with breadcrumbs.
- We layer it like we mean it: sauce, cheese, more sauce, more cheese. This is not the time to be shy.
- Baked at the end so everything melts and bubbles into cheesy, saucy magic.
Whether you’re cooking for your family, date night, or just because you’re craving something cozy and impressive, this Chicken Parmesan is your new main character meal.
Better-Than-Restaurant Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
Marinara:
- 2 14.5 ounce cans stewed tomatoes
- 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1/2 onion diced
- ½ cup white wine
Chicken Parm:
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt/Pepper
- Avocado oil
Flour Mixture
- ½ cup flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons seasoned salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Eggs
- 2 eggs beaten until frothy
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Breading
- 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Finishing Touches:
- Marinara sauce
- Mozzarella cheese sliced
Instructions
🍅 Preparing the Marinara Sauce
- Blend Tomatoes: Combine the stewed tomatoes (with their juices), tomato paste, parsley, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the finely diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. If using, add the white wine.
- Combine & Simmer: Pour the blended tomato mixture into the saucepan with the onions and garlic. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and let it cook uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This allows the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed. Once done, remove from heat and set aside.
🍗 Preparing the Chicken
- Prepare Chicken Cutlets: Place a chicken breast on a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, slice it horizontally into two even pieces. Repeat with the second breast, yielding four cutlets. Place the cutlets between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and gently pound them to an even thickness of about ½ inch using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
Set Up Breading Station: Arrange three shallow bowls:
- Bowl 1: Combine the all-purpose flour with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Bowl 2: Beat the two eggs and garlic powder until smooth.
- Bowl 3: Mix the panko, grated Parmesan cheese, parsley, and dried oregano.
- Bread the Chicken: Dredge each chicken cutlet first in the seasoned flour, ensuring a light, even coating. Next, dip it into the beaten eggs, allowing any excess to drip off. Finally, press it into the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring all sides are well-coated. Place the breaded cutlets on a plate and let them rest for about 10 minutes; this helps the coating adhere better during cooking.
- Fry the Chicken: In a large skillet, heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken cutlets (working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding). Fry each cutlet for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the cutlets to a baking sheet lined with a rack.
🧀 Assembling & Baking
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 425°F.
- Bake: On a baking sheet lined with a wire rack, place the fried chicken cutlets and spoon marinara sauce over each cutlet, then top with sliced mozzarella.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. For a golden top, you can switch the oven to broil for the last 2-3 minutes, keeping a close eye to prevent burning.
- Garnish & Serve: Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for a few minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped basil or parsley before serving.
- Pasta: Serve the Chicken Parmesan over a bed of spaghetti
In step #2, you talk about sautéing the onion, but nothing about the garlic. Then in step #3 you tell the readers to add the tomato sauce to the onion and garlic. I had to read a couple of times realizing that the garlic had been omitted in step #2. Please feel free to correct me. I totally enjoy your cooking.
Hi Carol! Thanks for your comment! 😊 The garlic is actually blended into the marinara with the tomatoes in step one! If you would rather mince and sautee the garlic in step two, though, that is definitely an option you can take! Hope this helps,
Kristin