Golden Parmesan Chicken Bake
Crispy breaded chicken breasts baked in a rich marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Prep15 min
- Cook35 min
- Total50 min
- DifficultyEasy
- Servings4
This hearty dish brings together the best of Italian-American comfort food: juicy chicken with a crunchy coating, smothered in tangy tomato sauce and gooey cheese. It's a family favorite that's surprisingly easy to make at home.
Serve it over spaghetti or your favorite pasta for a satisfying meal that's perfect for weeknights or casual gatherings. The combination of textures and flavors will have everyone coming back for seconds.
Ingredients
Servings
For the chicken
For the breading
For frying
For the sauce and topping
For garnish
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Place the flour in a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, beat the eggs with a fork. In a third shallow dish, mix the Panko, seasoned breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of parsley, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.
- Pound the chicken breasts to ½-inch thickness using the flat side of a meat mallet. If they are very large, cut them in half. Pat dry with paper towels and season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Dredge each chicken piece in the flour, shaking off excess. Dip in the beaten eggs, then press into the breadcrumb mixture to coat evenly.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken for about 2 minutes per side, until golden; it does not need to be cooked through.
- Spread 1½ cups of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Place the browned chicken on top. Spoon 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce over each piece. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and shredded Parmesan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and bubbly and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Garnish with fresh basil and parsley. Serve over pasta.
💡 Tips
- For extra crispiness, use a wire rack on the baking dish to keep the chicken from sitting in the sauce.
- If you don't have Panko, use regular breadcrumbs, but the texture will be slightly different.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes after baking to keep it juicy.
Inspired by a recipe from Spend With Pennies