Baked Chicken Parmesan also known as Chicken Parmigiana is topped with double cheese and a homemade tomato sauce, a true classic and family favorite. You will want to make it again and again!
This has to be one of my favorite dishes. Do you ever make one of your favourite dishes and it is so good that you always say to yourself, “why don’t I make this more often”? Well this is one of those chicken dishes for me. In fact chicken is probably one of my favorite types of meat from this Chicken Boscaiola to this Flavorful Italian Chicken dish.
In Canada and probably the rest of the world, chicken parmesan is usually served with pasta. But in Italy it is served without pasta and is considered a secondo piatto (second plate). All meat and fish dishes including meatballs are served on their own with a side dish of vegetables, no mixing with the pasta!
Even if you make a sauce such as Neopolitan Ragu, which is made with pieces of meat, the sauce is served on the pasta and the meat is served separately as the second dish.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken – chicken cutlets, on the thicker side, I like to buy chicken breasts and slice it myself
- Eggs – two large eggs
- Pepper – black pepper
- Crumbs – either breadcrumbs or crush saltine crackers
- Olive oil
For the Sauce
- Tomato passata – also known as tomato puree
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Oregano – ground oregano
- Basil – fresh basil or ground
- Garlic – clove of garlic or garlic powder
- Water
- Butter
Toppings
- Parmesan cheese – freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Mozzarella – firm mozzarella shredded
What is Tomato Passata/Puree?
Tomato puree is a liquid, but dense product. It is obtained by removing the pulp from raw or cooked tomatoes. It is sold worldwide and is available in most supermarkets. Of course it can also be produced at home.
How to substitute garlic cloves
To substitute a clove of garlic with powder, make sure you use pure garlic powder and not a mixture. For one clove of garlic use 1/8 teaspoon of powder.
Should you rinse the chicken before cooking?
Salmonella, Campylobacter and other harmful bacteria live on raw chicken. Washing or rinsing the chicken will not remove any harmful live bacteria such as salmonella or campylobacter from it.
In fact it can worsen it by helping the bacteria to spread throughout your kitchen. Whereas cooking the chicken thoroughly will eliminate any bacteria.
How to make a Chicken Parmesan Recipe
In a medium bowl beat the eggs and the pepper. On a medium plate place the cracker/breadcrumb mixture mixed with salt, if you use salted cracker crumbs then cut back on the salt. I actually don’t any.
Roll the chicken pieces once in the egg, then roll and cover well in the crumbs.
In a medium frying pan add the olive oil and brown the chicken.
Place the chicken pieces in a lightly greased shallow dish or baking pan in a single layer.
For the sauce
In a medium pot, add the olive oil, garlic, puree, water, salt, oregano and basil, stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low-medium, continue to cook until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in the butter.
Pour the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Remove the foil. Top with the grated mozzarella cheese and continue to bake until melted. Serve immediately.
FAQs
A cheese labeled as “Parmigiano Reggiano” is authentically made in a certain location in Italy. Ir has been created with a specific cheese-making process. It has more flavor than most other cheeses labeled as “parmesan cheese.” Parmigiano Reggiano is considered the best of the parmesan cheeses, so if you have access to this, it is highly recommended.
Pounding chicken with a meat tenderizer ahead of time will prevent chicken from being too tough after baking.
Make sure the chicken is well coated with the breading beforehand and ensure that there is enough oil in the pan before frying. This will make the breading stick better to the chicken for the best outcome.
The chicken in this recipe is browned first by pan frying for around 3 minutes on each side. Then, the chicken is baked at 350°F for 40 minutes.
The sauce ingredients are a typical marinara sauce made with tomato puree, olive oil, salt, herbs, garlic, water, and butter.
Mozzarella adds a lovely delicious gooey texture to the top of the chicken. Athough, it is best to use a firm mozzarella rather than fresh. The extra moisture from the fresh can water down your dish.
Unless the chicken is kept warm in an oven at a temperature above 140F (60C), then it is best not to let any chicken dish to be kept out longer than two hours, and only one hour at a temperature above 90F (30C).
Absolutely nothing, they both mean the same thing, in Italian it is called Pollo alla Parmigiana or Parmigiana di Pollo.
What goes well with chicken parmigiano (chicken parmesan/chicken parmigiana)?
Some traditional sides that go well with this dish include: mixed vegetables, pasta especially spaghetti, or if you wish to cut back on carbohydrates you could serve it with zucchini noodles, or how about a caesar or house salad, focaccia bread or an Italian crusty bread, or mashed potatoes.
I also learned from my Mom that the best coating for pretty well anything are crushed crackers, instead of a bread crumb mixture. Although bread crumbs work well also. Remember though if you use salted crackers, cut back on the extra salt.
How to store chicken parmigiana
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. You can reheat it in the oven or microwave.
How to freeze it
Place the completely cooled chicken parmigiana in a freezer container and freeze. It will keep for up to three months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge and re-heat in the oven or microwave.
Besides who can resist a delicious and easy Chicken Parmesan recipe? I know I can’t. Buon Appetito!
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Equipment
- 1 medium to large baking pan
- 1 Medium – large pot
Ingredients
- 6 pieces of boneless chicken
- 2 large eggs
- 1-2 dashes black or white pepper
- 1 cup crushed salted crackers or bread crumbs*
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
*If you use bread crumbs then add ¼-½ teaspoon of salt.
FOR THE SAUCE
- 1¼ cups tomato puree (passata)
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon butter
TOPPING
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup grated firm mozzarella
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350° (180° celsius). Lightly grease a medium to large baking dish.
- In a medium bowl beat the eggs and pepper.
- On a medium plate place the cracker crumbs or bread crumbs mixed with salt.
- Roll the chicken pieces once in the egg, then roll and cover well in the crumbs.
- In a medium frying pan add the olive oil and brown the chicken. (approximately 3 minutes on each side).
- Place the chicken pieces in the prepared baking pan in a single layer.
FOR THE SAUCE
- In a medium pot add olive oil, garlic, puree, water, salt, oregano and basil, stir to combine, bring to a boil then lower heat to low-medium and continue to cook until thickened, stirring occasionally (approximately 10-15 minutes). Stir the in butter.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, remove cover, top with grated mozzarella cheese and continue to bake for approximately 10 minutes. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from March 2015.
Opal Barker says
Thank you for the delicious recipes. I have a question, I cannot eat anything in the Nightshade family of vegetables, such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, goji berries. Is it possible to make some thing like the chicken parmesan without using tomato sauce?
Do you have recipes that do not use any of the Nightshade vegetables?
Rosemary says
Hi Opal, baked chicken parmesan really does need tomato sauce in it, although you could make Chicken Rollups https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/chicken-roll-ups/, you could also search white sauce and there are recipes with a white sauce and no tomato sauce. I am quite sure I have recipes without nightshade vegetables, it’s probably easier to do a search for a main ingredient and see from there. Hope these help. Take care!
Roberto says
We are 3rd gen from Ateleta, Abbruzzo la Provincia di Aquila and we didn’t get a lot of parmigiana growing up. I am definitely going to use this recipe. We like a few pinches of fennel in our sauce but other than that I wouldn’t change anything. Mille grazie.
Rosemary says
Hi Roberto, thanks so much, I hope you like it. My favourite cheese is Parmesan. Take care and have a great weekend!
Susan says
Haven’t made Chicken Parmesan in years. The sauce was so simple and really tasty! Used Gillian’s
GF bread crumbs since we have gluten/celiac issues and it really worked out well in a non stick skillet with a little olive oil. Didn’t change a thing as far as the other ingredients. Thank you, was delicious.
Rosemary says
Hi Susan, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care.