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Baked Chicken Parmesan is a lighter, at-home version of the Chicken Parm you might get from your favorite Italian restaurant! Ready in 30 minutes, this easy dinner recipe has crispy breaded chicken topped with garlicky marinara sauce and gooey mozzarella cheese.
Love Italian food? Try some of our other Italian-inspired favorites like Shrimp Scampi or Italian Sausage Meatballs.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Healthier Baked Version – No messy frying! This baked version is not only healthier, but it’s a lot easier to make than fried chicken parm.
- Easy Italian Flavor – Get your favorite Italian flavors at home with this crispy parmesan breaded chicken dish.
- Ready in 30 Minutes – Baked Chicken Parm is the perfect weeknight dinner! This recipe can be prepped ahead, but it can also be made start-to-finish in just 30 minutes.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How To Make Baked Chicken Parmesan
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Make the sauce. A large can of crushed tomatoes is the base, and you add garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt and let it simmer for a few minutes before spreading a few spoonfuls over the bottom of a 13″ x 9 ” baking dish.
Prepare the chicken. Pound the chicken breasts until they are somewhat even in thickness.
Bread the chicken. Coat one side in flour, then egg white, then Italian breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan Cheese. Place the chicken, breaded side up, in the baking dish.
Bake. Bake the chicken for about 15-20 minutes or so in a 400℉ oven or until the breading is nice and crispy. In the last five minutes, add some shredded or sliced mozzarella cheese. You could also flip on the broiler to help the cheese melt quicker.
Can Baked Chicken Parm be frozen?
Chicken Parmesan can be frozen once it’s cooked all the way through, but the breading may be a little soggy. However, you can prep the chicken ahead of time and freeze it for baking at a later time.
- Bread the chicken on one side using the instructions outlined in the recipe below.
- Place the chicken breasts, breading side up, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Pop the baking sheet into the freezer for 2 hours, then remove and stack chicken in a freezer container with sheets of parchment between each layer.
- Freeze for up to 2-3 months.
- To cook, thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake according to the recipe instructions.
Recipe Tips
- Use A Jar Of Pasta Sauce – Use a jar of your favorite marinara sauce to make things even easier!
- Pound The Chicken – I like to put the chicken in a resealable plastic bag and pound lightly with a meat mallet or a heavy skillet so that it cooks evenly. This also helps to ensure that the chicken will be moist and not dry at the ends.
- Choose Your Cheese – Mozzarella cheese is pretty standard for Chicken Parm, but you can also use provolone or more Parmesan cheese.
- Meat Thermometer – Use an instant-read meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken is fully cooked through and reaches 165°F.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve over spaghetti or by itself, with the marinara sauce for a lower-carb option.
- For a special meal, serve with my One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta and Sauteed Asparagus.
- It also pairs very nicely with my Stuffed Garlic Bread and a copycat Olive Garden Salad.
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Leftovers
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container and will stay fresh for about 3-4 days.
Keep in mind that reheating leftover baked chicken parmesan will not yield a crispy breading, but it will be tasty just the same.
More Italian-Inspired Recipes
- Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- Shrimp Alfredo
- Classic Bruschetta
- Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti
- Chicken Piccata
- Pizza Casserole
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 20 ounce Can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Minced garlic
Chicken:
- 4 Chicken cutlets
- 1/4 cup Italian Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 2 Egg whites
- 1/4 cup Flour
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- 4 tablespoons Shredded Mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, heat tomatoes with salt, Italian Seasoning and minced garlic. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until ready to serve.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray a 13″ x 9″ baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon just enough of the tomato sauce to cover the bottom of the dish, and spread evenly.
- Prepare three shallow bowls – one with sifted flour and salt and pepper, whisk egg whites in the second, and mix the breadcrumbs with the Parmesan Cheese in the third.
- Coat one side of the chicken in flour, then egg white, then the breadcrumb mixture. Place breaded side up in the prepared baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until juices are clear and top is browned.
- Sprinkle cheese on top of chicken, if desired, during the last five minutes of cooking time.
- Spoon tomato sauce on top of chicken.
- Serve with pasta or veggies.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
What a great twist to the conventional way to make oven baked chicken parm. I used two to one amount of browned panko and bread crumbs, mixed in the parm cheese and a little garlic powder and Italian seasoning. It was really good – for sure will be making it this way again ?
Fantastic feedback Alan! Thanks for stopping by.
Can I prepare this the night before then bake the next day or will it be too soggy?
I haven’t tried that, but I think the breading would just be too soggy. It really doesn’t take too long to do the breading part.
Kristen. I recently found this recipe for the Light Chicken Parmesan on Pintrest. My sister is currently trying to lose some weight, and I’m determined to help her. I’m looking forward to taking a look at some healthier recipes. Thanks!!!
Great recipe! BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY: thank you for adopting! I have a personal interest as I was adopted almost 68 years ago. My birth parents are completely unknown to this day but my parents made me me feel I was the most important thing in their life. Good on ya, sister! Stay strong.
Dinner doesn’t get much easier or delicious than this!
Thank you, Kristin, for pointing out the obvious in making this great dish healthier! Duh…I sure had never thought of breading just one side of the chicken! This is on my dinner plan this week along with your tomato sauce. I’m already looking forward to it. Thanks for sharing!