Best baked chicken parmesan recipe to try
Baked chicken parmesan recipes are a sure hit, whether a family dinner or a more elaborate celebratory meal. Store-bought are fine, and they usually fulfill the craving. However, nothing is more satisfying than a meal you made yourself.
Luckily, baked chicken parmesan recipes are not all that difficult or time-consuming to make, and you can easily make them in your kitchen right now.
You’re going to need some ingredients first, of course, starting with the chicken. Most of the baked chicken parmesan recipes are likely to already be in your refrigerator or pantry. Read on below if you want to know more about which recipes are the best for this deliciously baked goodness.
Baked is healthier than fried.
Fried food is good to have once in a while. Craving greasy, deep-fried food is fine but indulging it every day can be bad for your health. When you fry chicken, for example, you submerge it in cooking oil at a high temperature. Whether it’s vegetable oil or some other type of cooking oil, it will be made with saturated fat and, therefore, high in cholesterol.
In contrast, you don’t need to add anything to your pan or sheet when baking. Maybe a bit of cooking spray to prevent the food from sticking to the baking dish but nothing compared to deep-frying the food.
This is why baking is always recommended over frying. However, it does tend to dry out the food if you don’t know what you’re doing. If you want to heat your chicken parm, an air fryer or an oven is recommended.
Baked Chicken Parm as the Healthier Option
Frying your chicken parmesan might be more efficient because it takes a shorter time to cook. However, baking your chicken will result in an even more delicious oven-baked chicken parmesan recipe with a couple of cooking tips.
For starters, use butterfly-cut chicken breasts, pound them lightly to even the thickness, and cook the chicken thoroughly and quicker.
While your baked chicken parmesan recipe may take up to 30 minutes to cook, it’s worth it.
Best Baked Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Photo Credit: hellofresh.com
Chicken Parmesan, also known as Chicken Parmigiana, is an all-time classic in almost every restaurant, and it is a crowd-pleaser and has been around for a long time. A good chicken parm recipe has the classic taste of juicy, breaded chicken, and the marinara or spaghetti sauce and cheese on top give it a burst of flavor.
Unfortunately, not all baked chicken parmesan recipes taste the same as those you’re always dying to have.
Different recipes and cooking methods yield different results. Some recipes come out with the chicken becoming too dry, others don’t have enough flavor in the sauce, and sometimes cheddar is used instead of mozzarella. No matter, the one listed below is a well-loved, great recipe that is almost no-fail because it is easy and only takes about 20 minutes to make.
Ingredients
- Two tablespoons of olive oil or cooking spray
- 4 chicken breasts (about 1lb.), sliced in half lengthwise to make 8 pieces
- One egg
- 1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
- ½ cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup of marinara sauce or Filetto di Pomodoro
- 1 ½ cups of fresh, shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons of minced parsley (optional for garnish)
Directions
- Line a baking sheet or pan with foil and lightly brush foil with olive oil or a thin layer of cooking spray—Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Take the chicken pieces and pound them lightly to even the thickness. Be sure to use a light hand to avoid mushing the chicken breasts too much. You can place them inside a ziplock bag and use a meat pounder or a rolling pin.
- Take the chicken out of the bag and pat them dry—season with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Mix the breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste in a shallow dish.
- In another dish or bowl, whisk the egg.
- Dip one chicken into the egg, make sure it is coated all over. Take it out using your fingers or a fork and drop it into the bread crumb mixture. Make sure the chicken is also fully coated in the breadcrumbs. You can assist this process by healing the breadcrumbs onto each side of the chicken breast.
- Repeat the whole process until every last chicken piece is coated in egg and breadcrumbs. Line them all up on the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, 20 minutes at most, or until the chicken is cooked through. This will depend on the thickness of the meat.
- Flip the chicken one by one and carefully pour the marinara sauce on top of each piece. Top them all off with grated mozzarella. Place the baking sheet back in the oven and turn on the broiler.
- Broil for about 2 to 4 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly. The edges of the chicken should also start to become golden brown, indicating that it is cooked and crispy.
- Arrange on a plating dish and garnish with parsley if you have it. Serve hot and with rice, mashed potatoes, or another side dish of your choice.
Marinara Sauce Recipe
For this recipe, you can make your marinara sauce. Don’t get intimidated just yet — the recipe is pretty easy to make. Store-bought is fine, but if you have a little extra time in your hands, why not make your own?
You can use it for other recipes like spaghetti and meatballs or cheesy pork cutlets.
Ingredients
- 1 large can of whole peeled tomatoes (about 28oz.)
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, peeled and halved
- 2 large cloves of garlic, peeled but left whole
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions
- Combine the tomatoes with their juices, halved onion, garlic cloves, olive oil, oregano, and red pepper flakes in a medium-sized saucepan.
- Simmer the sauce over medium to high heat until it bubbles up a bit.
- Lower the heat to keep the sauce simmering at a slow and steady pace. Stir occasionally to avoid burning the bottom. Crush tomato bits until the sauce is as smooth as you can make it. Do this for about 45 minutes up to an hour.
- Remove the halved onion and onion in an immersion blender or smash it against the pot to turn it into the smallest pieces possible.
- Add salt and pepper to taste if necessary. Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool down a little before storing them in airtight jar containers. The marinara sauce will keep for about 6 months if placed in the freezer.
Additional Cooking Tips
You can always amp up this easy and simple recipe. Use filleted red meat of the chicken if you want a tastier and juicier baked chicken parmesan recipe.
You can also make your marinara sauce if you want to make sure it is fresh and tastes just like you prefer. You can also play around with the seasoning of both your breadcrumbs and the whisked egg.
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Side Dishes to Go with Baked Chicken Parmesan
There are so many side dishes that could go with this baked chicken parmesan recipe, and it can be paired with practically anything from carbohydrates to vegetables.
Of course, it can also be eaten on its own and will still be delicious and fulfilling. But if you want a full-course meal, try cooking up side dishes to go with your chicken parm.
The most common food it is served with is pasta. For a low-carb diet, use roasted spaghetti squash. If you just want regular old pasta, use thinner ones like angel’s hair or capellini.
You can also whip up some pan-roasted or sauteed vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, some beans, or whatever else you feel like having.
Summary
Baked chicken parmesan recipes are not only quick and easy to make, but they also make for a fulfilling meal at any time of the day. You can always order one at your local diner, but if you have the time and the ingredients, you can whip it up yourself in your kitchen. It won’t take more than an hour to satisfy your cravings, so grab your apron and get to it.
