The Easiest, Tastiest Chicken Parmesan Bake

The best part? You can be the star of your own household and cook this super simple recipe from scratch – this restaurant favorite is so easy to make at home!

It takes close to an hour, but half of that time is spent waiting for it to bake in the oven.

Not bad, huh? An amazing dinner and it’s easy to make! No one needs to know you didn’t spend the day stuck in the kitchen. It can be our little secret.

While waiting for this delicious, crusty, cheesy, and oh-so-comforting meal to bake, go ahead and do some cleanup around the kitchen. Load that dishwasher and prep your salad because once you eat this hearty dinner, you will NOT want to get up and clean.

This meal is a sit-down-and-eat-together kind of meal. No multitasking over dinner tonight, everyone. Put away the phones and enjoy each other’s company, at least for a few moments before going back to your busy schedules!

Maybe pour a glass of merlot and put on some music. Dinner at home can be just as indulgent as a night out! And at a fraction of the price, too. What’s not to love about that?

If you want to go the extra mile to wow your crowd for a multi-course Italian dining experience, make our almond anise biscotti or our creamy tiramisu cups for dessert.

Both of these can be made ahead of time, and go perfectly with a cup of decaf coffee at the end of the evening.

Sounds like the perfect night in to me!

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Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep Ingredients and Breading Station

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Measure out the flour, breadcrumbs, dried parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, canola oil, salt, and black pepper – freshly cracked is our preference!

If you have a favorite tomato sauce recipe, definitely use it here. You’ll need 3 cups total. Try our homemade oven-roasted tomato sauce, or our golden tomato sauce for a gorgeous orange color.

But to save time, and we love a good time-saving hack, you can also use a store-bought version.

Freshly grate 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese using a Microplane. You can also use a store-bought version here, too.

Thinly slice the fresh mozzarella using a sturdy cutting board and sharp chef’s knife.

Set out the chicken breasts on a large cutting board. If they are very thick, pound them out with a meat mallet to about a 1/2-inch thickness.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl and vigorously whisk them together.

Whisk together the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a separate large bowl. In another large bowl, whisk together the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, and remaining salt and pepper.

In a straight line going from left to right, arrange the bowls of flour mixture, eggs, and breadcrumb mixture, respectively. This is your breading station – setting it up like this will make for the quickest, cleanest, and most streamlined prep process.

Step 2 – Coat in Flour

For the most organized process, work with one breast at a time for Steps 2 and 3.

Pat the chicken breasts dry using paper towels – this helps to remove excess liquid, and will help the flour stick better to the surface of the breasts.

Place one breast in the flour mixture, and dredge them evenly on both sides. Shake off any excess.

Step 3 – Coat in Egg and Breadcrumb Mixtures

Dip the breast in the eggs, making sure to cover both sides with the egg. Shake off any excess.

Then, place the breast in the bowl with the breadcrumb mixture. Gently press the breast into the breadcrumbs to evenly coat it. The eggs will help the breadcrumbs stick. Turn the breast over and coat the other side.

Set the breaded breast on a large plate, and repeat Steps 2 and 3 with the remaining pieces.

Step 4 – Sear in SKILLET

Add oil to a large skillet, and heat it over medium-high heat.

A cast iron skillet works great for this recipe. If you aren’t using cast iron, be sure that the skillet you are using is safe to place in the oven.

Check the oil in your skillet to be sure it is hot. An easy way to tell if it is ready is to drop a little water in the skillet. If the oil splatters immediately, your oil is hot enough for cooking.

Place the breasts into the hot skillet and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until the exterior is lightly browned and crispy.

Do NOT add chicken to oil that is not hot! Adding any breaded food to a skillet before the oil is hot enough will cause the breading to absorb the oil, resulting in a mushy and greasy surface.

Avoid cooking with oil that is too hot, as well – if shimmering progresses to smoking, remove your pan from the heat and wait for it to cool down.

You also should not overcrowd your pan, since this will cause the temperature to drop and your food will become greasy. If needed, cook the breasts in batches. Just allow the oil to heat up again for a few minutes before adding another batch.

When the chicken is done cooking, transfer the breast from the skillet onto a large plate lined with paper towels. The paper towels will absorb any excess oil.

Step 5 – Assemble with Sauce and Cheese

Carefully dispose of any oil remaining in the skillet – you don’t need that extra greasiness! Return the meat to the skillet and pour the tomato sauce over the pieces.

Top with slices of fresh mozzarella in an even layer.

Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven, and bake for 30 minutes. The cheese will melt, and the sauce will be hot and bubbly.

This time is also important to thoroughly cook the chicken breasts. For an extra precaution, you can insert a meat thermometer in the center of one breast – if it registers 165°F or above, the chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature.

Step 6 – Cool and Serve

Remove the skillet from the oven. Serve while it’s still hot!

You can pair your entree with a delicious salad or your favorite vegetables for a complete meal.

Dinner Is Served!

Schedule a family dinner as soon as possible, and be sure to let everyone know you are serving a made-from-scratch chicken parmesan.

Everyone will come running to the table, mouths salivating and forks and knives at the ready!

Also, don’t be bashful about making your own alterations and substitutions.