Easy Chicken Parmesan – Once Upon a Chef

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This family- and weeknight-friendly chicken parmesan will rival your favorite Italian restaurant’s version.

Chicken parmesan is a major family pleaser, but the traditional recipe can be time-consuming to make. Between the homemade sauce and pounding, breading, and pan-frying the chicken — not to mention melting the cheese over the chicken in the oven — the classic preparation takes well over an hour and leaves you with a sinkful of dishes. This easy recipe incorporates a few smart shortcuts, like using store-bought sauce and ready-to-cook chicken tenderloins, making it totally doable on a weeknight, yet it tastes as good as the chicken parmesan from your favorite Italian restaurant. You’ll notice that I don’t smother the chicken with sauce and cheese; this keeps the crust crispy (and you can always serve more sauce on the side). Chicken parm is a great dish for company since much of the prep can be done ahead of time. Serve with pasta, spaghetti squash, a salad, or a roasted vegetable.

What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Parmesan

• Most recipes call for boneless skinless chicken breasts, which need to be sliced in half horizontally and pounded thin. I use chicken tenderloins, which can be quickly flattened with the palm of your hand to ensure even, quick cooking. Unlike the ready-to-cook thinly sliced chicken cutlets you find at the store, they are guaranteed to be tender and juicy.
• I recommend using jarred marinara sauce. The recipe only calls for 1-1/2 cups of sauce, so it doesn’t make sense to make it from scratch, especially when there are plenty of good store-bought options (I like Rao’s or Victoria).
• Japanese-style panko creates a feathery, crisp crust, and it also stays crispy long after it is cooked, so you don’t have to pan-fry the chicken at the very last minute.
• Mozzarella cheese is usually called for in chicken parmesan recipes. However, I prefer fontina, a semisoft cheese with a buttery, nutty flavor. Fontina stays gooey after it’s melted, while mozzarella tends to turn rubbery as soon as it comes out of the oven. Most large supermarkets carry Swedish or Danish fontina (with a red wax rind), which is ideal for cooking. If you can’t find it, shredded whole milk mozzarella is fine.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep and Bread the Chicken

Begin by prepping the tenderloins. You may notice a white tendon at the end of the tenderloin. Go ahead and trim it off with a knife or kitchen shears. Using the palm of your hand, gently flatten the tenderloins so that they are an even 1/4-inch thickness.

Season the flattened chicken all over with 1-1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

In a large shallow bowl (I use a pie plate), combine the panko, 3/4 cup of the Parmigiano Reggiano, the oregano, the thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Mix well, making sure there are no clumps of cheese.

Place the flour in another shallow bowl. Beat the eggs in a third bowl. Set up a breading station in this order: flour, eggs, panko.

Dredge the chicken in the flour, coating evenly.

Dip in the eggs, letting any excess drip off; then dredge in the panko mixture, turning and patting to adhere.

Place the breaded chicken on a lined baking sheet. (The recipe can be prepared up to this point, covered, and refrigerated up to 8 hours ahead of time. The breaded tenders can also be frozen for up to 3 months.)

Step 2: Pan-Fry the Chicken

In a large nonstick skillet, heat about 1/8 inch of oil over medium heat until shimmering. Place 5 or 6 tenders in the pan in a single layer.

Cook until the first side is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Cook the remaining chicken in the same manner, adding additional oil only if necessary.

Step 3: Top the Chicken with Cheese and Broil

Place the cooked chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the fontina and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano over the center of the chicken tenderloins, leaving the sides bare so that they remain crispy.

Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 4: Serve

Warm the marinara sauce, then taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. With store-bought sauce, I find a generous pinch of sugar and some fresh basil go a long way.

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter or individual plates. Spoon the marinara sauce over the cheese, again leaving the sides bare so that they stay crispy. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve.

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