Chicken parmesan with fresh mozzarella is the ultimate comfort food that is also fancy and fairly easy to make. This simple chicken parm recipe is great for everything from a weeknight family meal to a show-stopping dinner when you have guests. Pair it with some pasta, garlic bread, and a crisp green salad, and this dish is the perfect meal for the whole family!
Original post: March 2014 | Updated: February 2021 and December 2024
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy recipes (especially easy dinners) are my favorite. So many recipes have hard-to-find ingredients or instructions that are hard to follow. This recipe checks all the “easy” boxes.
- The flavor is out-of-this-world delicious.
- Comforting dinner everyone will love.
- You can serve it over potatoes, pasta or rice. All are delicious.
- Restaurant quality meal with a super simplified recipe.
I love easy recipes. And I love my chicken parm. I mean who doesn’t, right? That’s why I love this Easy Chicken Parm Recipe. Yes! Easy chicken parmesan that is restaurant-quality! Just bread the chicken, fry it a little to crispy perfection, top with tomato sauce and mozzarella, and place in the oven until perfectly melty.
My boys are constantly asking for it. And I am always happy to oblige because not only is this one of my favorite comfort food dinners, it’s made with just a few simple ingredients and comes together so quickly.
It’s a great option for a simple family dinner or a fancy meal. You can serve it simply as chicken parm sandwiches with some Air Fryer Fries or the classic style with some pasta and Homemade Garlic Bread.
Chicken Parmesan Ingredients
This recipe uses simple, fresh ingredients for the best results and flavor.
Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless pounded to even thickness.
Marinara sauce – Use your favorite store-bought variety of red sauce, or a jar of pasta sauce works, too. Or make your own homemade pasta sauce or easy marinara sauce.
Flour – I love using all-purpose flour, but feel free to swap out any variety. Use gluten-free flour for a GF recipe.
Salt and black pepper – Simple yet powerful seasoning duo.
Eggs – Add a splash of water.
Breadcrumbs – Any variety. Use GF if desired.
Parmesan cheese – Grated.
Olive oil
Mozzarella cheese – Use fresh mozzarella! This is the star of the show.
Parmesan cheese – Shaved adds such a nice texture when added to the top of the dish.
Spaghetti – Cooked to al dente. Any type of pasta works great! You can even use zucchini noodles.
How to Make Fresh Chicken Parm
This is a slightly shorter form of the full recipe instructions located in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
Pound the chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness with a meat mallet. Set aside.
Make your breading station. Line up three shallow bowls or pie dishes. In the first shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. In the second, beat the eggs with a splash of water. And in the third, combine the breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.
Thoroughly coat each of the chicken cutlets with the seasoned flour mixture, followed by the egg mixture, followed by the breadcrumb mixture. Place the coated chicken pieces on a cutting board.
Step 2: Cook the Chicken
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread half of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the breaded chicken in the hot oil one at a time for 1 minute, 30 seconds on each side, or until golden brown.
Step 3: Make the Chicken Parm
Transfer the crispy chicken breasts to the prepared baking dish and place side by side over the marinara sauce as they finish cooking.
Top with the remaining sauce, mozzarella slices and shaved Parmesan cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles.
Why Bake Chicken Parmesan
When the chicken is cooked on the stove top, it may not fully cook through to the center. It must be baked to ensure each piece of chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F and also so the cheese has an opportunity to melt fully.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Use a meat tenderizer, mallet or rolling pin to pound chicken breasts to thin cutlets of even thickness.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking the chicken. Cook chicken breasts in the oil one at a time for best results.
- Cover the pan as each side of the chicken cooks to avoid oil splattering and if 1.5 minutes/side produces too crispy of a coating, decrease time in 15-second intervals.
- Chopped fresh basil is a great topping.
- Use gluten free flour and bread crumbs for a GF version.
- Use Italian bread crumbs for a bigger flavor of Italian seasoning.
- When placing the chicken in hot oil, do so slowly and carefully. It’s best to place the chicken in the pan moving your hand away from you to avoid getting hit with oil.
- You can use store bought or homemade marinara sauce.
What To Serve With Chicken Parmesan
This classic Italian-American dish is the ultimate meal for your dinner table! But what do you serve alongside it? Click over for 17 delicious ideas about what to serve with chicken parmesan. A few options included:
- Easy Homemade Garlic Bread
- Homemade Dinner Rolls
- Chopped Salad or Caesar Salad
- Serve as a sandwich with chips or fries
Mozzarella vs Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh mozzarella cheese, that is the one sold in water or liquid brine, is really preferred for this recipe. Fresh mozz has a higher moisture content that gives it a delicate, creamy texture and subtle flavor compared to block or pre-shredded, packaged mozzarella.
Packaged mozzarella is dryer and therefore a bit denser and has a saltier flavor to it than fresh mozzarella.
How To Store Fresh Mozzarella
It’s best to reserve the brine the mozzarella comes in. Transfer the mozzarella and brine to an airtight container. Make sure the cheese is fully submerged in the liquid and refrigerate.
If you discarded the brine, you can store the mozzarella balls submerged in cold water in an airtight container. Change the cold water daily to keep the cheese as fresh as possible and try to eat it within a week of purchase.
How to Store Leftover Chicken Parm
Leftover chicken parmesan should be stored in an airtight container after cooling completely. Stored properly, leftovers will be good for 3-5 days in the fridge.
How to Reheat Chicken Parm
Reheat leftover chicken parm in the microwave or in the oven. I prefer the oven method for best results
In the microwave – In a microwave safe dish or plate, heat chicken parm on medium high power for 3-4 minutes until warmed through.
In the oven – Preheat the oven to 400°. Place leftovers on a lined baking sheet or dish and reheat for 10-12 minutes or until warmed through.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
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Easy Mongolian Beef
Easy Pad Thai
Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak
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Chicken Parmesan With Fresh Mozzarella Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Using a meat mallet or heavy wooden spoon, pound chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness between two pieces of wax paper. Set aside.
- Line up three shallow bowls. In the first, combine the flour, salt and pepper. In the second, beat the eggs with a splash of water. In the third, combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Thoroughly coat each breast with flour mixture, followed by the egg mixture, followed by the breadcrumb mixture. Place on a cutting board.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish and coat it with cooking spray. Spread half of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the coated breasts in the hot oil one at a time for 1 minute, 30 seconds on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer breasts to the prepared baking dish and place side by side over the marinara sauce as they finish cooking.
- Top with the remaining sauce, mozzarella slices and Parmesan cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles.
Notes
- Use a meat tenderizer, mallet or rolling pin to pound chicken breasts to thin cutlets of even thickness.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking the chicken. Cook chicken breasts in the oil one at a time for best results.
- Cover the pan as each side of the chicken cooks to avoid oil splattering and if 1.5 minutes/side produces too crispy of a coating, decrease time in 15-second intervals.
- Chopped fresh basil is a great topping.
- Use gluten free flour and bread crumbs for a GF version.
- Use Italian bread crumbs for a bigger flavor of Italian seasoning.
- When placing the chicken in hot oil, do so slowly and carefully. It’s best to place the chicken in the pan moving your hand away from you to avoid getting hit with oil.
- You can use store bought or homemade marinara sauce.
I made it tonight. It was very good. It made a lot, there is only 2 of us. My chicken looked like yours after frying. I should make it for company next time.