Italian-American
Crispy Chicken Parmesan with Mozzarella and Marinara
This is classic chicken parm with a crisp panko crust, a quick fry for real color, and a brief bake under marinara and mozzarella so the cutlets stay crunchy at the edges. Using a thicker cutlet and a concentrated sauce prevents the finished dish from eating like soggy chicken in tomato soup.
High ProteinHigh CarbComfort Food
At a Glance
- Time
- 55 mins
- Serves
- 4
- Cost
- Medium
- Cuisine
- Italian-American
- Dietary fit
- Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
Instructions
- Set up three shallow dishes: flour seasoned with salt and pepper, egg whisked with water, and panko mixed with Parmesan and garlic powder. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour, dip in the egg, and press into the panko so the coating looks shaggy and fully covered.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the cutlets until the crust is deeply golden and crisp on both sides, then transfer them to a rack so the breading stays crunchy.
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spoon a thin layer of marinara into a baking dish, set in the cutlets, and top with more marinara and the mozzarella. Bake until the cheese melts and bubbles, the sauce is hot around the edges, and the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
- For more color, broil for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese browns lightly. Finish with basil and serve while the crust still has some crunch under the sauce.
Adaptations
Plan Ahead- Gluten-Free: Plan Ahead Possible, but it requires multiple substitutions or separate preparation; see the note below.
- Dairy-Free: Plan Ahead Possible, but it requires multiple substitutions or separate preparation; see the note below.
- Vegetarian: Not Vegetarian Not adaptable; this recipe is built around meat, poultry, or seafood.
How to adapt: Use GF flour and GF breadcrumbs for the crust; for dairy-free, choose a dairy-free mozzarella or skip the cheese and serve over sauce.