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This delicious Skillet Chicken Parmesan is all made in one pan! Crispy breaded chicken breasts or cutlets are nestled in marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella cheese, it’s a comfort food dinner you won’t be able to resist!
If you love this Chicken Parmesan, you have to try my Chicken Parmesan Meatballs next!
Table of Contents
- Featured Comment
- What Is Chicken Parmesan?
- Ingredients For Skillet Chicken Parmesan
- How To Make Skillet Chicken Parmesan
- Pro Tips for Best Results
- Storing and Reheating Leftover Skillet Chicken Parmesan
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What To Serve With Chicken Parmesan
- More Chicken Dinner Recipes
- Skillet Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Featured Comment
“Loved this dish. Did lose some of the ‘crumb’ coating in the pan but it didn’t matter. Flavour was great. My husband and son scored this 11/10! So I guess it will be a regular for us now. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.”
If you love Italian food, chicken Parmesan is a must-try recipe to make at home. The flavors of this chicken Parmesan rival what you’d order at a restaurant. Seasoned chicken cutlets are dredged in a mixture of breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, then pan-fried until golden brown and irresistibly crispy.
While chicken Parmesan may sound complicated, this version is simple enough for weeknights yet impressive enough for a special occasion. The key to keeping it easy is having your dredging station set up before you start cooking.
I love that this recipe is made entirely in one skillet and uses a few smart shortcuts, like chicken cutlets and jarred marinara sauce—no deep frying required. Once the chicken is cooked, it’s nestled into the marinara and topped with mozzarella cheese. Pro tip: For an extra crispy, bubbly cheese topping, pop it under the broiler for a few minutes before serving.
What Is Chicken Parmesan?
Chicken parmesan is a classic Italian recipe often called chicken parmigiana. It consists of breaded chicken that can be pan fried or baked. The chicken is cover in tomato sauce and mozzarella, parmesan, or provolone cheese.
Ingredients For Skillet Chicken Parmesan
Chicken cutlets – boneless skinless chicken breasts work as well. You’ll want to slice them in half horizontally so they aren’t as thick.
Panko Breadcrumbs – Panko has a drier and flakier consistency compared to traditional dry breadcrumbs. It doesn’t absorb as much oil and will give you a crispier coating. However, you can still use traditional breadcrumbs as an alternative.
Dried basil, dried oregano, and garlic powder
Parmesan cheese – Use good quality freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano if possible for the best flavor. It adds a wonderful salty, nutty, crisp, cheesy flavor and texture to the breadcrumbs. You can use pre-grated, however it won’t have as good of flavor and won’t melt the same.
Mozzarella cheese – I recommend grating your own cheese from the block. The pre-grated cheeses have anti-caking agents in them that dry out the cheese and don’t allow it to melt as well. You can also add a slices of fresh mozzarella to the top of each chicken cutlet.
Marinara sauce – Make your own or save time and buy your favorite jarred marinara. I like to use Rao’s. If you decide to make your own, try out my recipe for Easy Marinara Sauce.
How To Make Skillet Chicken Parmesan
Preheat your oven to broil. You’re only going to be using it to melt the cheese on top.
Get out two shallow dishes. I like to use pie plates if you have them. In one of the dishes add the panko, grated parmesan cheese, dried basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir it all together until combined.
In the second dish use a fork to beat the egg with a tablespoon of water. Take the chicken cutlets or chicken breast halves and season them on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. I recommend a 12 inch skillet.
Dredge the chicken cutlets in the egg and then place them in the panko mixture. Use a fork or your hands to completely coat the chicken. Make sure it’s pressed on well. Place the chicken in the skillet.
Don’t crowd the chicken. If it won’t all fit cook it in separate batches. Let it cook on one side for 3-4 minutes. The chicken should be golden brown and release easily from the bottom of the skillet.
Flip it over and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until it’s cooked through, 165° F. Remove the chicken from the skillet and onto a plate.
Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet and scrape up any brown bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let the sauce heat through and then place the chicken back into the skillet.
Top with the shredded mozzarella cheese and put it in the oven to broil for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Top with chopped parsley and serve.
Pro Tips for Best Results
- Have your dredging station set up before you start. I like to use pie dishes, but any shallow dish will work.
- Make sure the chicken isn’t too thick. Chicken cutlets are ideal for this recipe because they are thin and cook quickly. If using chicken breasts, cut them in half lengthwise or pound them out so they are an even thickness.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is best. Pre-grated Parmesan doesn’t melt or brown as well. Freshly grated Parm gives better flavor and helps to create a crisp, golden crust.
- Don’t cook the chicken on too high of heat or you’ll risk burning the panko before the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Let the chicken cook undisturbed until deeply golden before flipping it over. Frequent flipping prevents proper browning.
- Warm the marinara sauce before adding the chicken back into the skillet. Cold sauce can make the chicken soggy and lower the skillet temperature.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Skillet Chicken Parmesan
Storage – If you aren’t planning to eat all of the chicken parmesan the day you make it, you’ll want to keep the chicken separate from the marinara sauce so that it doesn’t get soggy. The leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 2 months.
Reheating – I find that this recipe is best reheated in the oven at 350° F. for about 15-20 minutes or until warmed through and the cheese is melted. You might want to add additional cheese to the top to freshen it up. Microwaving the leftovers is fine, but they will likely be soft and the exterior soggy instead of crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pre-seasoned breadcrumbs?
Yes. If you don’t have the dried spices that the recipe calls for, pre-seasoned breadcrumbs can be used.
Can I make it gluten-free?
Yes. Substitute panko with gluten-free panko or gluten-free breadcrumbs.
How do I keep the breading from falling off?
- Make sure to pat the chicken dry of excess moisture before seasoning it and dredging it in the egg wash and breadcrumbs. Let the chicken rest a minute before adding it to the oil in the skillet.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough and that you use enough. If there isn’t enough the crust will break off when you flip the chicken.
- Don’t move the chicken too soon. If it sticks to the bottom of the pan when you try to flip it, it isn’t ready.
Can chicken Parm be made ahead of time?
I’ve found that skillet chicken parm is best when it’s made and eaten in the same day. If you don’t mind that the breaded exterior of the chicken won’t be as crisp, then that’s a different story.
Things you can do ahead of time are prep the chicken into cutlets if you’re using chicken breasts, combine panko and spices, and if you’re making marinara sauce that can be done several days in advance.
What To Serve With Chicken Parmesan
Serving chicken parmesan on top of pasta is what most people do. If you want to serve it as is with a side dish here are a few suggestions.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes
Skillet Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 pounds chicken cutlets or boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half horizontally
- 3/4 cup panko
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to broil.
- In a shallow dish combine the panko, basil, oregano, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. In another shallow dish combine the egg with a tablespoon of water and whisk them together. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the salt and pepper.
- Heat a 12 inch skillet with the olive oil over medium heat. Dip the chicken cutlets into the egg mixture then dredge them in the panko breadcrumb mixture.
- Add the prepared chicken cutlets to the hot skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until the coating is golden brown. Flip the chicken over and cook another 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on a plate.
- Turn the heat down to medium low and add in the marinara sauce cooking until it's heated through, 1-2 minutes. Nestle the chicken into the marinara sauce and top with the mozzarella cheese.
- Place skillet in the oven and broil for several minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make this Skillet Chicken Parmesan, please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you and do my best to respond to your comments. And if you’re on Instagram tag @reciperunner so I can see your beautiful creations!
i made this recipe tonight and it was delicious!the only issue I had was that I should have used a 12 inch pan. I use the Costco organic chicken breasts and they tend to be rather large. I cut 2 in half and also trimmed the tenderloins so I didn’t have enough room and had to do 2 batches in the 10 inch skillet. Otherwise, the recipe was very easy to follow, quick and tasty I love that it was lighter than the traditional.
Thanks for trying the recipe out Debby and I’m so glad you liked it! I’m sorry the chicken didn’t quite fit in the skillet. Thank you for sharing the tip that a 12 inch skillet will work better for larger chicken breasts, I’ll go ahead and change the size in the recipe directions as I’m sure many readers use the Costco chicken as you did.
Wow! That looks great and I love how easy it is to make!!! Hooray for one dish meals!
Thanks Jocelyn! One pot meals are the BEST!
I can’t believe that’s a lightened up version – it looks even better than full fat. Nice work :-)
Thanks Nicky!
One of my favorite dishes! Sometimes ‘lightened up’ versions look sort of sad, but yours looks great – I wouldn’t guess by looking at the pics that it’s healthier version, which is what you want, right? Saving this one!
Thanks April! I totally agree some lighter dishes do look pathetic, thanks for the compliment on mine!
Woah! This chicken parmesan looks amazing… and I feel the same way you do – about both things, love chicken parmesan, hate how fatty it is. :( Good thing we’ve got you… can’t wait to try these! Pinned :)
Awww thanks ladies, you’re the best! :-)
I’m definitely the same as you, I love chicken parmesan but it is one of those rare dishes that I make as it is often laden with unhealthy (but delicious) carbs. I love how this is a lightened up and skillet version… I have to try the recipe out!
Thanks Thalia! This lighter version is definitely a good alternative for those of us who are a little more health conscious.
I love how you lightened up this delicious looking chicken parm up. The best part is you can make it in one pan!
Thanks Kristi! One pan meals are my favorite, less dish washing!
This reminds me of the chicken parmesan my Mom use to make! It was frozen breaded chicken in a baking dish, then covered with our favorite marinara with mozzarella on top then baked. So simple yet delicious. This is a much more grown up dinner that I will have to make ASAP!
Thanks Meg! I love the simplicity of skillet dinners and they always taste so good!
This sounds perfect! I love chicken Parmesan but never make mainly because it seems unhealthy and labor intensive. I love this one pot wonder!
Thanks Bri! This version is definitely easier to make and I love that it isn’t such a heavy meal!
This look delicious. I love one-pot dinner recipes. I have to try this,
Thanks Melissa! One pot meals are the best!