Chicken Parmigiana Recipe

Trim and butterfly/pound

If using chicken breasts, trim fat and, if very thick, butterfly each breast or place between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness about 1/2 inch. If using portabello mushrooms, wipe caps clean, remove stems and gently scrape gills if desired; brush caps lightly with 1–2 tbsp olive oil and a tsp balsamic if using.

Pat chicken or mushrooms dry with paper towels and season both sides of chicken (or mushroom caps) with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

Set up a breading station: one shallow dish with flour (1 cup), one bowl with beaten eggs mixed with 2 tbsp milk, and one shallow dish with breadcrumbs (1.5 cups) combined with 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Working one at a time, dredge each chicken breast (or mushroom cap) first in flour, shaking off excess; then dip into the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off; then press into the breadcrumb mixture to coat evenly. Place on a wire rack while you bread the rest.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 4 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. When the oil is hot and shimmering (but not smoking), add breaded cutlets in a single layer, leaving space between them. Cook until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes per side for pounded chicken breasts (mushrooms may take 3 min per side). Adjust heat as needed to avoid burning.

Transfer browned cutlets to a paper towel–lined plate or a wire rack placed over a baking sheet to drain briefly.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add 1 tbsp salt, and cook 12 oz pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

While pasta cooks (or after), warm 4 cups marinara in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat until simmering. If sauce is very thick, loosen with reserved pasta water, 1–2 tbsp at a time, to desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or red pepper flakes if desired.

Toss drained pasta with some warmed marinara (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups) to coat, or plate pasta and spoon marinara over each portion.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Spread a thin layer of marinara (about 1/2 cup total) in the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold the cutlets in a single layer.

Place each browned cutlet (or mushroom) into the dish on top of the sauce. Spoon ~1/3–1/2 cup warm marinara over each cutlet. Top each with 2 oz (about 1/4 cup) fresh mozzarella and a sprinkle of the remaining 1/4 cup grated Parmesan.

Bake in preheated oven until cheese is melted and bubbly and internal temperature of chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), about 8–12 minutes. For mushrooms, bake 8–10 minutes until cheese is melted and edges are tender. If you want a slightly browned top, switch to broil for 1–2 minutes—watch closely.

Remove from oven and let rest 2–3 minutes. Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and a light dusting of the reserved 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes to taste.

Plate: serve chicken parm over a bed of the sauced pasta (or beside it). Spoon extra warmed marinara over pasta or cutlet as desired. Serve immediately.