Chicken Parmigiana Recipe

Prepare chicken

Pat the 4 chicken breasts dry with paper towels. If they are thick, slice each horizontally to make 2 cutlets or place between plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Trim any excess fat.

Season and set up dredging station

Season both sides of each cutlet with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Place the 3/4 cup all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl. In a second bowl whisk together 2 large eggs and 2 tablespoons whole milk. In a third wide bowl combine 1 1/2 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1 tsp dried oregano and 1/2 tsp dried basil.

Dredge

Working one piece at a time: coat the cutlet in flour, shaking off excess; dip into the egg mixture, letting excess drip off; press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture to fully coat. Place breaded cutlets on a rack or tray and let rest 5–10 minutes to help the coating adhere.

Pan-fry

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1/2 cup olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional) until shimmering but not smoking. Fry cutlets in batches (do not crowd) 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate briefly, then to a baking sheet or shallow ovenproof dish. Reserve about 1–2 tablespoons oil in the pan for flavor; discard remaining if necessary or save for another use.

Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). If using a broiler method, you can preheat to 425°F (220°C) but watch closely when broiling.

Assemble chicken parm

Spoon about 1/4 to 1/3 cup marinara sauce onto each fried cutlet, spreading a thin layer over the top. Divide the remaining sauce among the cutlets so each has roughly 1/2 to 3/4 cup total depending on preference. Top each with an even layer of shredded mozzarella (about 1/2 cup per cutlet) and sprinkle about 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan on each.

Bake until cheese melts

Place the baking sheet or ovenproof dish with assembled cutlets into the preheated oven and bake 8–12 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the mozzarella is melted. For browned, bubbly cheese, switch to broil on high and broil 1–2 minutes, watching constantly to avoid burning.

Garnish

Remove from oven and let rest 2–3 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves (8 leaves, torn or whole) and a light sprinkle of extra grated Parmesan (1/4 cup).

Place about 1 cup of cooked pasta on each of 4 plates. Spoon a little warmed marinara onto the pasta to coat, then set one chicken parmigiana cutlet on top of each bed of pasta. Spoon any pan juices or extra sauce from the baking dish over the chicken. Serve immediately.