Baked Chicken Parmesan stays juicy with savory glaze or seasoning—an easy anchor for dinner with simple sides.
Weeknight Crispy Baked Chicken Parmesan
A lighter, fuss-free take on the classic: crunchy panko, melty mozzarella, and juicy chicken baked until golden.
Make this when you want the familiar comforts of Chicken Parmesan without standing over a skillet. Baking at high heat on a wire rack keeps the panko crunchy and lets the chicken stay tender, so you get that delightful contrast of crisp crust and juicy interior with far less fuss.
Butterfly or gently pound each breast to an even 1/2-inch so they cook quickly and evenly, then set up a simple dredging station: flour, eggs whisked with milk, and a panko-Parmesan mixture seasoned with garlic and oregano. Press the crumbs on firmly and transfer the cutlets to a rack-lined baking sheet; a light drizzle of olive oil helps the coating brown beautifully at 425°F.
Finish with a spoonful of marinara and a blanket of mozzarella, returning the pan to the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Pair the cutlets with a crisp green salad and lemony roasted vegetables, toss with spaghetti for a more traditional plate, or keep it simple with crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
This method makes weeknight timing doable—about 25 minutes of hands-on prep and roughly 22 minutes in the oven—so dinner is on the table in under an hour. The result is crunchy, cheesy, saucy comfort that reheats well in the oven, making it a reliable go-to for family dinners (serves 6).
Ingredients
How to Make Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set a wire rack on top if you have one.
- Butterfly each chicken breast and, if needed, gently pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap using a meat mallet or rolling pin; pat dry and season both sides with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Set up a dredging station: Place the flour in one shallow bowl; whisk the eggs with milk and 1/4 tsp salt in a second bowl; combine panko, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, dried oregano and the remaining 1/2 tsp black pepper in a third bowl.
- Working one piece at a time, dredge chicken in flour (shake off excess), dip into the egg mixture, then press firmly into the panko mixture to coat both sides. Transfer breaded cutlets to the prepared rack-lined baking sheet.
- Drizzle or brush the tops of the breaded cutlets with about half of the olive oil (reserve the rest), then bake on the middle rack for 12–15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches about 155–160°F and the crust is set.
- Remove the pan from the oven, spoon about 3–4 tablespoons of marinara over each cutlet (spread evenly), sprinkle with a generous 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and a little extra Parmesan on each piece, then drizzle the remaining olive oil around the edges.
- Return to the oven and bake 4–7 minutes more until the cheese is melted and bubbly; for a golden top, switch to broil for 1–2 minutes while watching closely.
- Let the chicken rest 3–5 minutes, garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and serve hot with extra marinara on the side.
Recipe Card
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Baked Chicken Parmesan stays juicy with savory glaze or seasoning—an easy anchor for dinner with simple sides.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set a wire rack on top if you have one.
- Butterfly each chicken breast and, if needed, gently pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap using a meat mallet or rolling pin; pat dry and season both sides with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Set up a dredging station: Place the flour in one shallow bowl; whisk the eggs with milk and 1/4 tsp salt in a second bowl; combine panko, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, dried oregano and the remaining 1/2 tsp black pepper in a third bowl.
- Working one piece at a time, dredge chicken in flour (shake off excess), dip into the egg mixture, then press firmly into the panko mixture to coat both sides. Transfer breaded cutlets to the prepared rack-lined baking sheet.
- Drizzle or brush the tops of the breaded cutlets with about half of the olive oil (reserve the rest), then bake on the middle rack for 12–15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches about 155–160°F and the crust is set.
- Remove the pan from the oven, spoon about 3–4 tablespoons of marinara over each cutlet (spread evenly), sprinkle with a generous 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and a little extra Parmesan on each piece, then drizzle the remaining olive oil around the edges.
- Return to the oven and bake 4–7 minutes more until the cheese is melted and bubbly; for a golden top, switch to broil for 1–2 minutes while watching closely.
- Let the chicken rest 3–5 minutes, garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and serve hot with extra marinara on the side.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 32
- Saturated Fat
- 10
- Sodium
- 1400
- Fiber
- 1.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 24
- Protein
- 84
- Fat
- 34
- Cholesterol
- 280
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 820
- Sugar
- 3