Description
Chicken parmigiana is a classic Italian dish that brings crispy, breaded chicken cutlets together with tangy tomato sauce and melty cheese for a satisfying meal. Your dinner table gets a real treat when you layer everything and let it bake until the cheese turns golden and bubbly on top.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Coating:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup flour
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper to taste
Sauce and Cheese:
- 1 cup napoli sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
For Serving:
- enough oil for shallow frying
- thick-cut chips
- mixed salad greens
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400°F and season your 4 chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Set up three shallow bowls in a row: fill the first with 1 cup flour, the second with your 2 beaten eggs, and the third with 2 cups panko breadcrumbs.
- Take each chicken breast and coat it thoroughly in flour, shake off the excess, then dip it into the egg mixture until covered completely.
- Transfer your floured and egg-coated chicken directly into the panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the coating adheres evenly on all sides.
- Pour enough oil into a large frying pan for shallow frying and heat it over medium heat until shimmering, about 3-4 minutes.
- Carefully place your breaded chicken into the hot oil and fry for 5 minutes until the bottom develops a golden-brown crust.
- Flip each breast and fry the other side for another 4 minutes until golden throughout.
- Transfer your fried chicken to a baking dish and spoon 1 cup Napoli sauce evenly over each piece.
- Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese across the top of all the chicken, covering it completely.
- Slide the baking dish into your 400°F oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese bubbles and turns light golden.
- Remove from the oven and plate your chicken alongside thick-cut chips and mixed salad greens for a complete meal.
Notes
- Don’t skip the three-dish breading station; it keeps your hands cleaner and gives each piece an even, crispy coating that stays on during frying.
- Use medium heat when frying so the breading gets golden and crunchy without burning before the chicken cooks through inside.
- Pat your chicken breasts dry before breading them, since moisture prevents the coating from sticking properly and getting that satisfying crunch.
- For a lighter version, bake the breaded chicken at 200°C for 20 minutes instead of frying, then top with sauce and cheese as usual; the result is still crispy and much less oily.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Baked Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg