Simple Classic Chicken Parmesan
Simple Classic Chicken Parmesan is a simple and delicious Italian comfort food! This easy-to-make version of an Italian classic dish will impress your family and friends. Succulent, moist, tender, and satisfying – this one is a keeper!
Why Is it Called Chicken ‘Parmesan?’
Chicken Parmesan, or Chicken Parm for short, is one of my all-time favorite dishes. In fact, this is the favorite of a lot of people in my life, family and friends. My father made this all the time. But, while growing up, I always wondered why it’s called ‘Parmesan’ and not something else since it’s not made with parmesan cheese, but has mozzarella cheese. Well, after growing up, I finally discovered the fiendish truth behind the name.
The term ‘Parmesan,’ ‘Parmigiano,’ and ‘Parmigiana’ all mean the same thing – it’s a dish that originated near Parma, Italy. Parmesan is the French translation of Parmigiano. So it’s the style of the dish, not the cheese used. It’s often made with breaded chicken, veal, eggplant, etc., covered with tomato sauce, and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. While there are many variations, most people are familiar with this version.
So call it whatever fancies you, even if it’s chicken parm, chicky parm, or whatever. It’s just delicious.
Simple Classic Chicken Parmesan
Growing up, my father made what he called ‘veal’ parmesan. I loved it. Come to find out, it was venison – he was an avid hunter. But, he also made chicken parmesan quite often, too, because it was my mom’s favorite. Eggplant parm and zucchini parm were also common in our house.
So what sets my version apart from others? Here’s a few reasons:
Half-Breast. Most chicken parms use the whole chicken breast giving a lot of meat, but little of what give it the yummy flavor. I slice mine in half. A lot of times, I’ll even cut each breast into 4 pieces. This gives more surface area for the breading, sauce, and cheese. This also makes it more moist.
Tenderizing. I use a kitchen mallet to tenderize and flatten each piece to about 1/4 inch thick. This aids in even cooking and making the chicken so tender you can cut it with a fork like butter.
Tomato Sauce. This is the biggest difference. My own has Best Homemade Tomato Sauce no added sugar so it’s just pure deliciousness!
Mozzarella Cheese. I use a block of cheese that I shred instead of pre-shredded. The pre-shredded has anti-caking agents added to keep the cheese from clumping in the bags. This also prevents the cheese from melting evenly. I also go with the whole milk cheese instead of part skim.
What Ingredients Are in Simple Classic Chicken Parmesan?
- Chicken Breast, boneless/skinless
- Olive Oil
- Seasoned Bread Crumbs
- Eggs
- Flour
- Tomato Sauce
- Water
- Mozzarella Cheese, whole milk
- Salt and Pepper
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Tomato Sauce – again, I use my Best Homemade Tomato Sauce. If for some reason I don’t have any on hand, we usually keep a couple bottles of Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce.
Seasoned Bread Crumbs – I always use 4C bread crumbs. I’ve used other brands but they just don’t taste the same. You can also use plain or your own homemade bread crumbs. I do not recommend oatmeal. These will taste completely different. If you use oatmeal, these will turn out soggy.
Mozzarella Cheese – I use a block of whole milk mozzarella cheese and shred it myself. This gives the best taste. You can sub a block of part skim mozzarella or a bag of pre-shredded.
How Is Simple Classic Chicken Parmesan Made?
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Lay the cut chicken breast pieces on a cutting board – you might have to work in batches. Cover the pieces with plastic wrap. Use a kitchen mallet to pound the chicken pieces to about 1/4 inch thick. Season each piece with salt and pepper.
- Place the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs separately in 3 containers or plates. Coat one chicken piece with flour, then egg, the breadcrumbs. When coating with breadcrumbs, place some bread crumbs on top of the chicken and press down. This will help hold everything on the chicken piece. Repeat until all the chicken pieces are coated.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium to large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken pieces until the breading is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. If working in batches, use 2 more tablespoons of olive oil for each batch.
- In a large baking pan (glass works the best), add 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and 1/4 cup of water. Mix them together and spread the sauce over the bottom of the pan.
- Place the cooked chicken pieces in the pan. Use a spoon to cover each piece with tomato sauce. Sprinkle some shredded mozzarella over each piece.
- Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Check the progress periodically.
- Note: depending on how many chicken pieces you have and the size of your baking pan, you might need more than 1 pan. In that case, be sure to lightly coat each pan with some tomato sauce and water mix.
What Can I Do with the Leftovers?
The leftovers will keep nicely in fridge for us to 3-4 days. To reheat, I recommend heating them in the oven, covered, at 350º for 10 minutes or until warmed through. The microwave works well, too.
Can I Freeze Chicken Parm?
Absolutely! These freeze very well. To conserve space in your freezer, I recommend freezing these individually first. Then you can stack them in another container or bag. This way they won’t stick together. When you go to defrost them, unstack them first in a baking tray. Defrost on the counter or in fridge overnight. They last up to 6 month, or up to a year in a vacuum sealed bag or container.
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Simple Classic Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Breast, boneless/skinless, cut in half lengthwise (2-4 breasts)
- 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
- 1 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
- 2-3 Eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 2 cups Tomato Sauce (see post for the best homemade recipe)
- 1/4 cup Water
- 8 ounces Mozzarella Cheese, whole milk, shredded
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 400°F.
-
Lay the cut chicken breast pieces on a cutting board - you might have to work in batches. Cover the pieces with plastic wrap. Use a kitchen mallet to pound the chicken pieces to about 1/4 inch thick. Season each piece with salt and pepper.
-
Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs separately in 3 containers or plates. Coat one chicken piece with flour, then egg, the bread crumbs. When coating with bread crumbs, place some bread crumbs on top of the chicken and press down. This will help hold everything on the chicken piece. Repeat until all the chicken pieces are coated.
-
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium to large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken pieces until the breading is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. If working in batches, use 2 more tablespoons of olive oil for each batch.
-
In a large baking pan (glass works the best), add 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and 1/4 cup of water. Mix them together and spread the sauce over the bottom of the pan.
-
Place the cooked chicken pieces in the pan. Use a spoon to cover each piece with tomato sauce. Sprinkle some shredded mozzarella over each piece.
-
Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Check the progress periodically.
Note: depending on how many chicken pieces you have and the size of your baking pan, you might need more than 1 pan. In that case, be sure to lightly coat each pan with some tomato sauce and water mix.
Recipe Notes
Tomato Sauce - again, I use my Best Homemade Tomato Sauce. If for some reason I don't have any on hand, we usually keep a couple bottles of Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce.
Seasoned Bread Crumbs - I always use 4C bread crumbs. I've used other brands but they just don't taste the same. You can also use plain or your own homemade bread crumbs. I do not recommend oatmeal. These will taste completely different. If you use oatmeal, these will turn out soggy.
Mozzarella Cheese - I use a block of whole milk mozzarella cheese and shred it myself. This gives the best taste. You can sub a block of part skim mozzarella or a bag of pre-shredded.
