Is there anything in the world that is as satisfying as a heaping bowl (or plate) of comfort food? I do not think there is anything I love more.
Comfort food is easily my favorite and Italians do it right, every single time. Be it lasagna, spaghetti, stuffed shells, or chicken parm, Italians have perfected comfort food.
Do you love comfort food too? Be sure to add this recipe to your meal plan today!
This chicken parm recipe quickly became a family favorite and is requested by friends and family for virtually every occasion.
The best part? You can be the star of your household and whip up this super simple recipe. It takes about an hour, but half of that time is spent waiting for the parm 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 slaving away 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, 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.
Maybe pour a glass of wine 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, whip up these Italian Biscotti Cookiesfor dessert.
These cookies can be made a day ahead and go perfectly with a cup of coffee. Sounds like the perfect night in to me!
The Recipe
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 5 people | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 38 minutes |
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This is the easiest Italian meal that you can whip together. Get the basics in there and add extras if you've got the time and the ingredients.
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- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt divided
- 2 teaspoons pepper divided
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated with a microplane
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 5 chicken breasts thin cut
- 24 ounces tomato basil sauce
- 8 ounces fresh Mozzarella sliced
- In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Combine breadcrumbs, parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, onion powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a separate large container and set aside. Beat 2 eggs in a third container and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Add oil to a large oven-safe skillet and turn heat to medium-high.
- Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Dredge them in the flour mixture and gently shake off any excess.
- Coat each breast with egg mixture followed by the breadcrumbs until all are breaded.
- Add chicken to skillet and cook about 5-6 minutes on each side (cook in batches if needed).
- Remove chicken from skillet when done and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Drain excess oil from skillet.
- Return chicken to skillet and add tomato basil sauce. Cover with sliced fresh mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool and serve with a crisp green salad or roasted veggies.
Nutritional Information*
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Prepare the Breading
Gather ingredients and shred the Parmesan cheese with a microplane. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a container big enough to dip a piece into.
Combine breadcrumbs, shredded parmesan, salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder in a separate container large enough to fit your chicken breasts. Beat eggs and add to a third container.
Step 2 – Oil and Heat the Pan
Preheat oven to 450°F. Add oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high. A cast iron skillet works great for this recipe. Coated or uncoated cast iron is fine. Be sure that the skillet you are using is oven safe as we will finish this recipe in the oven.
Step 3 – Coat in Flour
Pat the chicken breasts dry and dredge in the flour mixture. Repeat until all of the meat is coated with flour.
Step 4 – Coat in Egg and Breadcrumb Mixture
Coat each breast with egg, directly followed by the breadcrumb mixture. Do this until all of the pieces are coated with seasoned breadcrumbs.
Step 5 – Add the Chicken to the Pan
Check the oil in your skillet to be sure it is hot. An easy way to tell if it is ready is to use the handle end of a wooden spoon. If bubbles immediately form around the handle and continue to form quickly, your oil is hot.
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 and your food will turn out greasy. 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.
If your oil is ready add your meat.
Be sure not to overcrowd your pan since this will cause the temperature to drop and, again, your food will become greasy. Flip the breasts and cook them on the opposite sides until golden brown. Expect to cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, depending on thickness of your cut.
If you need to cook in batches, that’s okay. Just allow the oil to heat up again for a few minutes before adding another batch.
Step 6 – Remove Excess Oil
When the chicken is done cooking, drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with subsequent batches until all of the breasts are cooked.
Step 7 – Add the Sauce and Cheese
While the chicken is draining, carefully remove the excess oil from the skillet and discard it. Return the meat to the skillet and add the tomato basil sauce.
Top with slices of fresh mozzarella and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Be sure to cover each piece evenly with sauce and cheese.
Step 8 – Cool and Serve
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Serve with a delicious salad or roasted veggies for a complete meal. If you are gluten free, no worries!
You can still enjoy this delicious recipe by simply substituting the all purpose flour for gluten free flour and the breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs. So simple and no one else will ever be the wiser!
Schedule a family dinner now and be sure to let everyone know you are serving chicken parmesan. Everyone will come running, singing its praises.
Also, don’t be bashful in adding in extras such as mushrooms, fresh basil, and different types of cheese.
Have the perfect side for this meal? Let us know by leaving it in the comments so we can try it out too! And if you’re a fan of this cooking technique, try our recipe for milanesas de carne.
Buon appetito!
Don’t forget to Pin It!
For more easy chicken recipes, you’ll love these tasty dishes:
- Pepperoni Parmesan
- Marsala
- Creamy Chicken Parmesan
- Tuscan with Vegetables
- Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- Lemon Sage Garlic
Photos by Leslie Morrison, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published August 14th, 2008 by Shanna Mallon. Last updated: January 4, 2021 at 18:01 pm. Completely revised and updated by Leslie Morrison.
*Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Leslie Morrison
Leslie is a food photographer and writer. She enjoys spending time in her kitchen and behind the lens of her camera and working on her food blog, Deliciously Plated (deliciouslyplated.com). When she isn’t working, she is spending time with her son and her husband.
Mmm…cheesy! And that sauce is just begging for some crusty bread dipping action. 🙂
Oh believe me, I sopped that sauce all over my fresh Italian bread!
I guess you could sprinkle plenty of parm on before eating!! loooks YUM….
So YUM, Rae. You should try it! 🙂 (If you make it through the hurricane!)