Quick and Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

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Try this simple and delicious chicken parmesan recipe that will have dinner on the table in no time. With a few shortcuts, you can enjoy the classic Italian dish without spending hours in the kitchen.

One of our go to dishes is this quick and easy chicken parmesan recipe. We’ve found that using crushed croutons makes for the ultimate chicken parmesan recipe!

Secret to the Best Chicken Parm

We’ve tried breadcrumbs, seasoned bread crumbs, panko and seasoned panko and we always come back to our same secret for making the best chicken parmesan recipe. I am pretty sure you’re going to love our way and be hooked forever. Crisp, golden brown chicken perfectly smothered in a light and flavorful marinara and mozzarella cheese that’s been cooked until gooey and delicious, now that’s dinner I want!

I really like to make my own marinara sauce and I’ll include a recipe for marinara here, but if there isn’t time, just go ahead and used jarred. Does it really matter? Nah, but I do think homemade sauce is better.

What is Chicken Parmesan?

Is chicken parmesan Italian? Is chicken parmesan and chicken parmigiana the same thing?

Chicken parmesan is breaded chicken that is then covered in a tomato sauce and topped with mozzarella, parmesan or sometimes even provolone cheese. It’s often eaten over pasta like spaghetti but can be eaten alone or as an entree. Chicken parmesan subs are another favorite and we happen to have a really, really good recipe for it if this quick and easy shortcut chicken parmesan recipe isn’t enough for you.

Chicken Parmesan and chicken parmigiana are the exact same thing.

Golden brown breaded chicken filets in a skillet with a jar of marinara sauce being poured over each one.Golden brown breaded chicken filets in a skillet with a jar of marinara sauce being poured over each one.

Ingredients for Easy Chicken Parmesan

The beauty of this recipe is that everything can be made from scratch or everything can be store bought so you can decide how quick and easy you want it be! Here is what you will need:

Chicken Parmesan

  • Chicken Breasts: Grab boneless and skinless and then butterfly them and pound them flat.
  • Focaccia or Garden Herb Croutons: We grab a bag at Costco and crush them in a ziploc bag.
  • Butter and Olive Oil: Used to brown the chicken to golden perfection.
  • Marinara Sauce: You can make the recipe down below or grab your favorite store-bought brand. I’m pretty obsessed with Rao’s lately!
  • Mozzarella Cheese: We prefer Precious brand or fresh mozzarella, but any mozz will work great!
  • Angel Hair Pasta: Spaghetti would also work great.

Marinara

  • Olive Oil: used to sauté the veggies
  • Vegetables: Small Onion, Carrots, Garlic Cloves, Crushed Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce
  • Seasonings: Salt, Pepper, Bay Leaves

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

A skillet with breaded quick and easy shortcut chicken parmesan with gooey cheese being removed from a pan with a spatula. A skillet with breaded quick and easy shortcut chicken parmesan with gooey cheese being removed from a pan with a spatula.

Is Chicken Parmesan Healthy?

Well, I guess it’s better than some recipes, but no chicken parmesan is healthy. The breaded chicken is cooked in oil and or butter and then topped with gooey cheese and served with a good amount of carb filled noodles.

That being said, we do have a lightened up chicken parm recipe that you can try for a healthier version.

Is Chicken Parmesan Gluten Free?

Chicken parmesan is not gluten free as the breadcrumbs are often a white bread unless you specifically use gluten free breadcrumbs.

How to Butterfly Chicken

Place a chicken breast on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, place one hand on top of the chicken and lay the knife even with the chicken, gently sliding the knife through the breast until you reach the other side and open the meat. The chicken should look like two wings, continue to slice through in order to separate the two pieces.

A dark grey platter filled with angel hair pasta, a little marinara tomato sauce, breaded chicken with marinara and melted mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of chopped Italian flat leaf parsley. Quick and Easy shortcut chicken parmesanA dark grey platter filled with angel hair pasta, a little marinara tomato sauce, breaded chicken with marinara and melted mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of chopped Italian flat leaf parsley. Quick and Easy shortcut chicken parmesan

How to Bread Chicken

Now as far as our secret ingredient goes, it’s all about the croutons and you’ll have to just trust me on this. Some Parmesan Chicken recipes call for flour, egg and breading but after testing and testing the recipe it just seemed like it didn’t do enough to go through all that work, so I went back to my mom’s method, crushed focaccia or garden herb croutons!

They are crisp, flavorful and have more texture than breadcrumbs normally do so you’re in for an awesomely delicious filet of chicken, so really it’s how to make chicken parmesan without breadcrumbs!

Just place croutons into a zip top bag and use a mallet or rolling pin (you could use a blender or food processor, but not only is that one more thing to get out but it also crushes the croutons too finely.) to crush the croutons.

Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl or shallow dish and butterfly the chicken breast or use a meat mallet to carefully smash it out flatter. Dip the chicken in the breadcrumbs on both sides, gently pressing the crumbs onto the chicken. You don’t even need eggs, so if you’ve wondered how to make chicken parmesan without eggs, now you know!

A dark grey platter filled with angel hair pasta, a little marinara tomato sauce, breaded chicken with marinara and melted mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of chopped Italian flat leaf parsley. Quick and Easy shortcut chicken parmesanA dark grey platter filled with angel hair pasta, a little marinara tomato sauce, breaded chicken with marinara and melted mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of chopped Italian flat leaf parsley. Quick and Easy shortcut chicken parmesan

How to Make Easy Parmesan Chicken

Heat both olive oil and butter in a large skillet, the oil to reach a higher heat and allow you to brown the chicken and the butter to offer that yummy, buttery flavor. We start with medium high heat, add the chicken and quickly turn it down to medium low heat, cooking the chicken only until it’s a beautiful golden color. Flip the chicken over and cook again.

After browning the outside of the chicken you’ll want to place everything in a casserole dish and cover with a little tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese which has been shredded versus sliced for better melting. Bake everything for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Serve your quick and easy baked chicken parmesan over spaghetti, or we prefer angel hair noodles with a little extra sauce on the noodles. We also like to top with a little parmesan chicken, thanks to the name and a sprinkle of chopped Italian flat leaf parsley to brighten things up.

What to Serve with Chicken Parmesan?

When I was a little girl I loved making chicken parmesan served with angel hair pasta but as an adult we are often looking for healthier options or feeding those with intolerances, so we sometimes need to know what side to serve with chicken parmesan that isn’t pasta.

We’ve found that mashed potatoes are a great option, or we really like to use a very small amount of sauce on top and serve it over mixed greens with a little lemon juice and olive oil. In that method we try to use less mozzarella and more parmesan cheese instead. It’s so good. Don’t look at the photo but try this version if you want a healthier Parmesan Chicken recipe.

With a main dish that is quite heavy, I like to serve it with a simple salad or sauteed veggies.

A dark grey platter filled with angel hair pasta, a little marinara tomato sauce, breaded chicken with marinara and melted mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of chopped Italian flat leaf parsley. Quick and Easy shortcut chicken parmesanA dark grey platter filled with angel hair pasta, a little marinara tomato sauce, breaded chicken with marinara and melted mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of chopped Italian flat leaf parsley. Quick and Easy shortcut chicken parmesan

This delicious twist on a classic Italian dish is perfect for busy weeknights. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep time, you can have a flavorful easy chicken parmesan on the table in no time!

Chicken Recipes

To see all of our family dinner recipes, head here!

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

Description

One of our go to dishes is this quick and easy shortcut Chicken Parmesan recipe. We’ve found that using crushed croutons makes for the ultimate chicken parmesan recipe!

Chicken Parmesan

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  • Coat each breast in the crushed croutons.

    2 Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts, 1  Cup Focaccia or Garden Herb croutons

  • Heat a skillet to medium and add a drizzle of olive oil and a little butter. (I skip the butter sometimes. It just gives good flavor, but it’s not necessary)

    Butter and Olive Oil

  • Brown each side of the chicken and place in a baking dish.

  • Cover in marinara and then shredded cheese.

    ½-¾ Cup Marinara Sauce, 2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese

  • Bake for 20-30 min or until cooked through and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.

Marinara

  • Heat olive oil in a pot (just a sauce pot will do fine. No need for a large soup pot) over medium heat.

    ¼-½ Cup Olive Oil

  • Add onions and begin to sauté.

    1/2 Small Onion

  • After 1-2 minutes, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.

  • Add carrots and cook until the carrots are tender.

    2 Carrots

  • Add all other ingredients and turn heat down to low. Let simmer 1- 1 1/2 hours, remove bay leaves and serve.

    2 Cloves Garlic, 2 Cans Crushed Tomatoes, 1 Can Tomato Sauce, 1/2 teaspoon Salt, 1/2 teaspoon Pepper, 2 Bay Leaves, Angel Hair Pasta

Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Serving: 1breastCalories: 517kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 32gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 2004mgPotassium: 1586mgFiber: 8gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 6806IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 407mgIron: 6mg

Author: Sweet Basil

Course: Mom’s Best 100 Easy Chicken Recipes

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A dark grey platter filled with angel hair pasta, a little marinara tomato sauce, breaded chicken with marinara and melted mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of chopped Italian flat leaf parsley. Quick and Easy shortcut chicken parmesanA dark grey platter filled with angel hair pasta, a little marinara tomato sauce, breaded chicken with marinara and melted mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of chopped Italian flat leaf parsley. Quick and Easy shortcut chicken parmesan

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