Last Updated on September 7, 2022
The iconic Italian American dish makes a big impression but requires less work than you might think. After thinning the chicken breasts, create a crispy crust by pan-frying the chicken, then bake with your favorite pasta sauce (homemade or jarred) and cheese.
Hearty and heartwarming, this chicken parm is an ideal dinner in the cold weather months. Serve and enjoy with or without your favorite pasta.
Ingredients
- 2 ButcherBox chicken breasts
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ cup Italian bread crumbs
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese divided
- Olive oil
- 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese 2 cups
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or fresh parsley
Instructions
- Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create 4 cutlets. Working 1 or 2 at a time, place them between sheets of parchment paper and pound until 1/3 inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a wide shallow bowl. In a second wide shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, garlic powder, and onion powder until the eggs are frothy. In a third wide shallow bowl, whisk together the breadcrumbs and ½ cup parmesan cheese.
- Dip both sides of each chicken cutlet into the flour, ensuring each side is fully coated, and then tap off then excess flour. Then dip both sides of each cutlet into the beaten eggs, letting the excess run off. Finally, press both sides of each cutlet into the breadcrumbs, ensuring each side is evenly coated.
- Add enough olive oil to a large non-stick pan until it’s ½ inch high and place pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is so hot that a dash of flour foams up, place 1-2 cutlets into the pan at a time, being careful not to overcrowd it. Pan fry each cutlet until it’s golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Place fried cutlets on a paper towel-covered platter and cover with more paper towels.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Pour half the jar of marinara sauce into a 9x13 inch casserole dish and spread it out until it’s evenly distributed. Lay the chicken cutlets in a single layer and cover them with the remaining marinara sauce, leaving the ends exposed to crisp up further. Cover the cutlets with the mozzarella and remaining ¼ cup parmesan.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until cheese has melted and marinara is bubbling. If the cheese isn’t golden brown, turn the oven up to broil and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Garnish with basil or parsley.
- Serve with spaghetti or rigatoni, if desired.
Nevin Martell is a D.C.-area based food and travel writer, parenting essayist, recipe developer, and photographer whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, National Geographic, Fortune, Travel + Leisure, and many other publications. His eight books include Red Truck Bakery Cookbook: Gold-Standard Recipes from America's Favorite Rural Bakery and The Founding Farmers Cookbook: 100 Recipes for True Food & Drink, It’s So Good: 100 Real Food Recipes for Kids. Find him on Instagram @nevinmartell, on Twitter @nevinmartell, and online at nevinmartell.com.
