Chicken Parmesan | The Modern Proper (2024)

August 15, 2022

Covered in classic marinara and bubbly, creamy fresh mozzarella cheese, our chicken Parmesan recipe is simply the best.

The Easiest, Cheesiest, Best Chicken Parmesan Recipe In the Whole World

Easily one of the very most iconic, classic Italian-American dishes, chicken Parmesan is hearty, comforting, stick-to-your-ribs stuff and we love every last bite of it. So does everyone else around the table when we serve it, because it’s so very very lovable. Juicy chicken breast, slicked into thin, big cutlets and fried to perfection are coated in marinara sauce and topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, then baked to perfection. All that crisp crust and pooling melted cheese, salty Parm, sharp, bracing marinara—it’s impossible to get a bite from that pan of baked chicken parm that’s anything less than insanely delicious.

What Is the Difference Between Chicken Parmesan and Chicken Parmigiana?

Brace yourself for this one—they’re the same dish! Chicken Parmesan and chicken Parmigiana are just different names for the same exact recipe. And, with a name like “chicken Parmigiana”, you might assume that this recipe is Italian. While it has roots in Italy (in a way), chicken Parmesan is all-American. “Parmigiana” is an Italian word that means “in the style of Parma”, referring not to the cheese (which, BTW, is Parmigiano! Not Parmigiana) but to the city of Parma. Chicken Parmesan is an Italian-American riff on classic Italian eggplant Parm (melanzane alla Parmigiana), which is made in almost the exact same way as chicken Parmesan, but with eggplant instead of chicken. Now you’re pretty much an expert in the origins of chicken Parm! Enough learning, let’s eat!

How Do You Make Chicken Parmesan From Scratch?

When you’re first learning how to make chicken Parmesan, the list of steps might look a little fussy. But after you’ve made it a few times—and you will make it more than once, because everyone will ask you to—it becomes something you can throw together without thinking. Inherently, chicken Parmesan is a really easy, simple recipe. The ingredients will be super familiar—the hardest thing is not eating all of the fresh mozzarella while you cook. If you want to use jarred marinara sauce, that is totally fine, but homemade is always better if you’ve got the time. We’ve got a 20-minute marinara sauce recipe here that happens to be just perfect in this chicken Parmesan recipe. Here’s how to make chicken Parmesan:

1. Cut the chicken breasts into cutlets by carefully slicing them in half horizontally. You want them thin, so that they cook really evenly.

2. Prep your dredging station. Line up three shallow dishes, pie plates, or even small baking pans: fill one with beaten egg, one with a combination of panko, bread crumbs & parmesan cheese, and one with flour.

3. Season! Sprinkle the chicken cutlets with garlic powder, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.

4. Time to dredge! First flour , then egg, then Parmesan-panko-bread crumbs mixture.

5. Fry the chicken breast filets in olive oil for two minutes per side. Work in batches so they get nice and crispy.

6. Assemble! Put the chicken on a baking sheet, top each chicken piece with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella.

7. Bake the chicken Parmesan until the chicken is done and the cheese is melty and bubbly.

8. Eat!

The Best Chicken Parmesan Side Dishes

While you can serve chicken Parm over pasta—that’s classic, and always delicious—you can also serve it just on its own as a meaty, cheesy main dish with a few well-chosen sides. We love to serve this chicken Parmesan recipe with:

• Simple Italian Salad

• Garlic Bread

• Easy Tiramisu

Tools You’ll Need:

• Dredging vessels of some kind (pie plates, rimmed plates, cake pans are all good)

• Baking sheet

• Sharp knife

• Mixing bowls

• Skillet

More Melty, Meaty, Italian Chicken Recipes to Try

• Chicken Cacciatore

• Chicken Piccata

• Italian Baked Chicken Meatballs

• Pesto Chicken Bruschetta

Bring on the Accolades!

While it can be fun to spring an unfamiliar dish on your family from time to time, there’s no feeling quite like setting out to cook up a recipe that you just know from the get-go everyone is going to adore. The anticipation of those looks of glee that you know you’ll see when you put dinner on the table is such a good feeling. This chicken Parmesan recipe all but promises that you’ll have that feeling when you start cooking, and we hope that the looks (and thanks!) you get for your kitchen labors are everything you wish for and more. When you make it, let us know how you like it! Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!