Learn how to make this best, easy parmesan chicken recipe for a simple and delicious meal that will be on your table in just 30 minutes.
For more mouthwatering chicken recipes, head on over to my popular posts for Oven Baked Tandoori Chicken, Fiesta Lime Chicken and Rice Foil Packs, and Three Cheese Stuffed Balsamic Chicken.
This might come as a shock, but traditional spaghetti noodles topped with ground beef red sauce does nothing for me. However, top those very same noodles with a buttery garlic sauce or crispy oven baked chicken parmesan and I’m a BIG fan.
This easy parmesan chicken recipe is my favorite go-to version of homemade chicken parmesan. It’s healthier than traditional chicken parmesan (especially restaurant versions) but doesn’t sacrifice in the flavor or texture department. This lightened-up classic will help you stick to your healthy eating goals without giving up one of your favorite comfort foods.
How to Make This Recipe
Do you have 30 minutes? Then you can get the best parmesan chicken recipe on your plate tonight!
- Preheat that oven to 350 degrees and then lightly grease a large baking pan.
- Now, brush the chicken on both sides with the oil and then season with salt and pepper on both sides as well.
- Stir together the parm and breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Toss the chicken in the parmesan mixture, coating on both sides. Then, arrange the chicken on prepared baking dish.
- Put the chicken in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until it’s cooked through and no longer pink on the inside.
- Make the sauce while the chicken is cooking by combining marinara sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, and basil in a medium sauce pan and stirring over medium heat until it’s hot throughout.
- When the chicken is done, take it out of the oven, and turn the oven to broil. Top each piece of chicken with a ½ cup of marinara sauce and one slice of mozzarella cheese. Add it back to the oven to broil for another 3-4 minutes, or till the cheese is a little brown and bubbly. (Careful it doesn’t burn!)
- Serve the chicken over the cooked spaghetti and top with cracked black pepper and fresh basil (optional).
Why This Recipe Works
Healthy – For me, making a delicious and healthy dinner that pleases the whole family (even the husband) makes me feel like I’m winning at life. With just a few little ingredient substitutions, you’ll discover how easy it is to cook healthy and want to stay home for dinner instead of going out to Olive Garden.
Flavorful – Adding garlic, extra seasoning, and fresh basil to your marinara sauce makes a world of difference in the flavor and broiling the chicken at the very end makes it nice and crispy and gets that melty mozzarella cheese all bubbly and just barely browned to perfection.
Fast – You can’t get a simple parmesan chicken recipe like this on your plate faster at any restaurant. 30 minutes from start to finish – that’s crazy fast!
Feeds a crew – Do you have a lot of hungry mouths to feed? Me too! This baked parmesan chicken dish feeds four, but it’s so easy to double if needed. And, if you have little mouths to feed, half of a serving goes even farther. Just be sure to make extra spaghetti. I swear, there’s always room for more spaghetti!
Is Parmesan Chicken Always Fried?
This is what I’m talking about with making healthy parmesan chicken. Usually, the chicken is pan fried till golden brown on both sides. In oil. While tasty, it’s not good for you at all. Baking the chicken is much healthier for you. And my recipe makes it not only healthier, but I think tastier too!
Ways to Customize This Recipe
- To make the chicken spicier, consider adding a teaspoon or two of red pepper flakes to the sauce as it heats through.
- You could also use chicken thighs for this recipe, but they won’t need to cook nearly as long. You should only cook them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, then follow the directions as listed.
- To up the Italian flair of this dish, consider adding chopped kalamata olives to the spaghetti along with chopped fresh basil, and maybe even some sun-dried tomatoes – yum!
- You can substitute any pasta you want for spaghetti. I like a longer, thinner pasta like spaghetti, fettuccini, or angel hair, but you could use whatever you have on hand.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- For extra crispy breading, spritz the chicken/breading with cooking spray a couple of times throughout baking or bake it on parchment paper and turn over once halfway through baking.
- If you only have large chicken breasts, you can cut 2 of them in half lengthwise to make four smaller fillets, then pound those to an even thickness.
- This chicken parmesan will keep in the fridge (separate from the spaghetti) for up to 3 days.
Recipes You Should Try Next
- Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
- Olive Garden Breadsticks
- Grilled Margherita Chicken
- Best Easy Lasagna
- Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms with Parmesan
Did you make this super easy chicken parmigiana? EXCELLENT! Please rate the recipe below!
Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 small-medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- ⅔ cup Italian style breadcrumbs - (or plain breadcrumbs mixed with 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil - plus more for topping
- 4 slices mozzarella cheese
- 8 ounces spaghetti noodles - cooked according to package instructions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a large baking pan.
- Brush chicken on both sides with oil, then season with salt and pepper on both sides. Stir together breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a shallow dish and toss chicken in the breadcrumb mixture to coat on both sides. Arrange chicken on prepared baking dish.
- Bake chicken for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle. While chicken is cooking, combine marinara sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, and basil in a medium sauce pan and stir over medium heat until hot throughout.
- When chicken is cooked through, remove from oven and switch oven to broil. Top each chicken breasts with about 1/2 cup of marinara sauce and one slice of mozzarella cheese. Return to oven for 3-4 minutes until cheese is bubbly and starts to brown (keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn).
- Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles and top with cracked black pepper and fresh basil (optional).
- ** For extra crispy breading, spritz the chicken/breading with cooking spray a couple of times throughout baking or bake it on parchment paper and turn over once halfway through baking.
Making a delicious and healthy meals that pleases the whole family makes me feel like I’m winning at life too,
this is lovely recipe, I promote healthy eating to and also believe healthy food does not have to be in form protein in meal bars.
This is to Ciny
Making a homemade marinara sauce is veRy time consuming,and in my personal oppion. We use spaghetti sauce packet that we tweek abit 2 packs sauce 1 6 oz. can tomato paSte 1 medium caN tomato sauce 5 6oz. Cans of water or opTionaly cut 1 can of water and add 1 6 oz. can red wine let this cook on medium heat until thICens, there you are. We aDd ground beef and make it our sPaghetti sauce
Cindy I mis Stepped on my previos text. That would be one six ounce can tomato past siXteen would make you sauce amost to rich to eat
Cindy the same goes for the can of wine. The can i am in referance to is the tomato paste can
I just discovered your website and i love your recipes – so good and healthy and easy.
Congratulations on your new digs and thank you for sharing this lovely recipe!
Look beautifull, love it so much. The chicken was so tender and had great flavor. We will make this again soon
So happy that you loved this recipe! It’s a family favorite in my household! 🙂