Baked Chicken Parmesan, crispy

At a glance

What stands out: Baked chicken Parmesan pairs well with steamed broccoli or pasta for a straightforward-to-make weeknight dinner. This chicken Parmesan recipe is lower in calories than traditional recipes because it’s not fried in oil.

How long it takes: 33 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: oven, baking pan with wire rack, sharp knife, mixing bowls.
Servings: 4

Straightforward Chicken Parm

A lighter option. If you love restaurant-style chicken Parmesan but you’re looking for an easier, healthier option, this baked chicken Parmesan is the reliable solution. Although it isn’t fried, the chicken cutlets still have all the flavor without making you feel weighed down or overfull. And it’s so straightforward to mix!

Made with buttermilk. The breading process is simplified by skipping the normal flour and egg steps. Instead you’ll dip the chicken in buttermilk. Not only will the buttermilk help the breading stick but it does double-duty and also tenderizes the chicken. If you have a little extra time, you can also marinate the chicken in buttermilk for an hour or two, for tender chicken.

No frying necessary. The chicken is dipped in a mixture of crispy panko breadcrumbs and seasonings, baked on a wire rack in the oven, and topped with sauce and cheese. This chicken Parmesan turns out so well, with a nice crispy coating encasing tender juicy chicken. We think you’re going to love it!

Tia Said:

“Such a great recipe! Reliable for weeknights! Love how straightforward and tasty it is!”

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What goes in

• Chicken Breasts – This recipe calls for about 2 pounds, but you can halve or double the recipe easily. Make sure to buy boneless skinless chicken breasts. If you want to eliminate the step of cutting them and pounding them, buy the thin cutlets.
• Buttermilk – Buttermilk serves two purposes in this recipe, so don’t skip it. It will tenderize the chicken and will also help the breading stick to the chicken.
• Panko, Dried Herbs, and Parmesan – This combination gives the chicken crunch and flavor. If you happen to have Italian seasoned panko, skip the dried herbs (but not the cheese or salt and pepper!). By the way, from-scratch bread crumbs (panko) are straightforward to mix and you can use day-old bread.
• Marinara Sauce – Go ahead and pick up your favorite pizza sauce (or make from-scratch pizza sauce), or make a batch of spaghetti sauce and use it to top your chicken. Spicy red arrabbiata sauce is reliable, too. If you have sauce left over after making this recipe, it can be used to make zucchini pizza bites or English muffin pizzas.
• Mozzarella Cheese – Shred your own for maximum meltiness!

How it comes together

Prep chicken. To make this baked chicken Parmesan, thinly slice two chicken breasts horizontally, like you would to butterfly them but slice all the way through. Pound them lightly between two sheets of plastic wrap so they are a uniform thickness.

Briefly marinate in buttermilk. Soak the chicken in buttermilk while you get the breading mixture prepared. (You can do this ahead, and marinate the chicken for a couple of hours if you like.) The buttermilk tenderizes the chicken and helps the breading adhere.

Make breading. Combine panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, herbs and seasoning for the breading.

Bread the chicken. Let the excess buttermilk drip off before dipping the chicken in the bread crumbs.

Bake. Bake the chicken on a baking rack placed on top of a sheet pan. This chicken parmesan is baked in a hot oven (450°F) and it doesn’t take long, only about 15 minutes.

Pro Tip

For chicken parmesan, you’ll definitely want to leave the pan uncovered so the air can circulate freely around the chicken pieces. Using a wire rack inside the pan aids in air circulation and ensures that the chicken will crisp up nicely on all sides. Soggy breading is a real turn off.

Finish. Smear on a little marinara sauce and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake again. Return the pan to the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

Ways to serve it

We love to serve this chicken Parmesan with steamed or roasted broccoli or air fryer Brussels sprouts instead of pasta for a healthier dinner but go ahead and make pasta if you prefer. It is divine with angel hair pasta with fresh tomato cream sauce or pasta with roasted red pepper sauce. If you prefer potatoes to pasta, throw a pan of diced potatoes in the oven with the chicken to make crispy roasted potatoes.

For a lighter meal, serve chicken Parmesan with a tossed green salad with red wine vinaigrette or lighter from-scratch ranch dressing. Marinated mushrooms and a loaf of Italian bread with Italian bread dipping oil will round out a reliable dinner.

Since you have the oven on, you may as well make dessert, too. Apple blueberry crisp is straightforward and so rich! Another favorite is strawberry rhubarb crisp.

Wondering what wine goes best with chicken Parmesan? Try a medium bodied red wine with your chicken parmesan, such as pinot noir, chianti, or sangiovese.

Ways to change it

• Skip the sauce and/or cheese. If you prefer, the breaded chicken cutlets can be served as is. Plain breaded chicken cutlets can be paired with vegetables, potatoes, or a simple salad for a light dinner.
• Make it vegetarian. Try our straightforward air fryer eggplant. Simply add marinara and cheese for a straightforward eggplant Parmesan entrée.
• Bone-in chicken: This recipe doesn’t work well with bone-in chicken, so instead try these oven roasted bone in chicken breasts. They’re straightforward and so versatile. You could go all and make a whole roasted chicken dinner with potatoes, carrots, and onions. Be sure to try our whole chicken in the crockpot recipe, too, or air fryer whole chicken.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Chicken Parmesan freezes nicely and will keep for up to three months. Wrap well and date the package before freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for best results.

Reheat: Reheat in an oven, air fryer, or toaster oven at 350-400ºF until heated through. Avoid reheating breaded chicken in the microwave because the breading will be soggy.

Leftover Love

Have leftovers? Heat the chicken first, then slice it, add a little extra marinara, and put it on a sub roll for a reliable chicken parmesan submarine sandwich.

Favorite Chicken Recipes

• Yield: 4
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 18 minutes
• Total: 33 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 8 ounces each
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (see note #1)
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¾ cup marinara sauce (can use pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce)
• ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Method

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly spray wire baking rack with nonstick cooking spray and place rack in foil-lined rimmed baking pan.
2. Cut each chicken breast in half as though you were going to butterfly it, but cut all the way through to make two thin flat pieces (4 total). Pound to an even thickness (about ¼ -inch) between two pieces of plastic wrap, or in a zip-top bag, using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, a rolling pin or the heel of your hand.
3. Add buttermilk to a medium bowl and place the chicken in it (see note #2).
4. In a shallow bowl, combine panko, Parmesan cheese, salt, basil, garlic powder, pepper, oregano, and thyme; mix to blend.
5. Lift each piece of chicken out of the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, and coat it in the bread crumb mixture. Place on prepared wire rack. Repeat for remaining chicken breasts.
6. Bake 15 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown. Remove from the oven, spoon marinara on top, and sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.
7. Continue to bake for another 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through (165°F on instant read thermometer).

Notes

Panko: Panko-style breadcrumbs are much coarser and lighter than regular breadcrumbs, which makes the chicken extra crispy. Gluten-free panko can be substituted for regular panko. Make your own bread crumbs, if you wish (it’s straightforward!).

Buttermilk marinade: The chicken can marinate in the buttermilk for up to a few hours for maximum tenderness.

Storage/Reheating: Refrigerate leftovers, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 days or up to 3 months in the freezer. To reheat, avoid using a microwave oven (breading will get soggy). For best results, reheat in an oven, toaster oven, or air fryer.