Classic Chicken Parmesan 

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts, sliced in half length-wise to create 6 cutlets
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour can also use gluten-free flour blend or white whole wheat
• 3 eggs, whisked
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Breadcrumbs

• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/2 tsp (each) salt & pepper
• 2 tsp Italian herb blend (thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary)
• 1 tsp garlic powder

For the Topping

• 6 slices Mozzarella
• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• Keep your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425F
• Tenderize chicken: place chicken cutlets/breasts in a large ziplock bag or between two sheets of parchment paper. Firmly pound with a rolling pin or the smooth side of a meat hammer (chicken thickness should be 1/2 inch). Remove cutlets from the bag and pat dry with paper towels.
• Breadcrumbs: In a shallow dish, mix all of breadcrumb ingredients together.
• Assembly line: Set up a line of shallow bowls/dishes with flour, whisked eggs, and breadcrumbs. 
• Bread the chicken: First, coat the chicken in flour on both sides, then shake off the excess flour that isn’t sticking. Transfer to whisked eggs, then dip into the breadcrumbs. Use your hands to gently pack the breadcrumbs onto each side of the chicken. Repeat until all the cutlets have been breaded.
• Brown the chicken: Heat 3 tablespoons of oil at a time in a cast iron skillet or pan on LOW to MEDIUM heat. Brown chicken for 2-3 minutes on both sides until the breading is golden.
• Layer and bake: arrange browned chicken in a large baking dish or pan. Layer first with mozzarella slices then tomato sauce over top. Bake uncovered in the oven for 14 minutes – remove from oven then sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese. Then broil on HIGH for 1 minute until the cheese is melted and browned. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve!

Instructions for Baked Chicken Parmesan

• If you would like to use less oil, use this baking method instead! I love making chicken parmesan this way and the results are almost identical to pan-frying.Baked method: preheat oven to 450F. Follow steps 2-5 above, then after breading the chicken, lay the cutlets in a generously oiled baking pan. Spray the chicken with olive oil, or brush with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from oven and layer with mozzarella, sauce, and parmesan and bake for 5 additional minutes. Broil on HIGH for the last minute for the cheese to brown. Serve with fresh basil!

Notes

Use quality marinara. What makes this recipe so delicious is using my family’s San Marzano Tomato Sauce or this fresh tomato sauce. But when we don’t have homemade sauce, we also love to use our favorite store-bought sauce!

Make your own breadcrumbs. To elevate the taste and texture of chicken parm, I always recommend making your own breadcrumbs. It takes minutes to do and makes a world of difference from store-bought. Plus you can customize it if you want the breadcrumbs to be healthier or gluten-free!