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Easy Chicken Parmesan

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Making traditional chicken parmesan can be quite time-consuming, but this weeknight-friendly version incorporates a few smart shortcuts, so you can have a delicious meal on the table in just 45 minutes!

Chicken parmesan on a plate with a fork.

Chicken parmesan is a major family pleaser, but the traditional recipe can be time-consuming to make. Between the homemade tomato 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 good-quality jarred sauce and chicken tenderloins, making it totally doable on a weeknight. 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 to serve when you have people over since much of the prep can be done ahead of time. It pairs well with pasta, polenta, spaghetti squash (see how to cook spaghetti squash), an arugula salad, or roasted broccoli.

“Huge hit with the family! Seasoning, moisture, crispness all on point…This is some really great chicken.”

Cassandra

What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Parmesan

ingredients for chicken parmesan
  • Chicken tenderloins: While 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.
  • Marinara Sauce: Since the recipe only calls for 1-1/2 cups of sauce, I recommend using a good-quality jarred marinara sauce, such as Rao’s or Victoria).
  • Panko: 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.
  • Fontina Cheese: While mozzarella cheese is usually called for in chicken parmesan recipes, 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.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

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.

flattening chicken tenderloins with palms

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

chicken tenderloins seasoned with salt and pepper on cutting board

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; dip in the eggs, letting any excess drip off; then dredge in the panko mixture.

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.)

breaded chicken tenderloins for chicken parmesan

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.

pan frying chicken parmesan

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.

golden brown chicken in pan

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.

crispy chicken sprinkled with cheese

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

chicken parmesan with melted cheese

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.

warming the sauce on the stovetop

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.

Chicken parmesan on a plate with a fork.

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Chicken Parmesan

Making traditional chicken parmesan can be quite time-consuming, but this weeknight-friendly version incorporates a few smart shortcuts, so you can have a delicious meal on the table in just 45 minutes!

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken tenderloins
  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • ¾ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1½ cups panko
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ cup flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • Olive oil, for cooking
  • 1½ cups homemade or store-bought marinara sauce, best quality such as Rao's or Victoria
  • 6 oz fontina, shredded (about 1½ cups)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil

Instructions

  1. Using kitchen shears, trim off any white tendons at the ends of the tenderloins. Using the palm of your hand, gently flatten the tenderloins so that they are an even ¼-inch thickness. Season the chicken all over with 1¼ teaspoons of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper.
  2. In a large shallow bowl, combine the panko, ¾ cup of the Parmigiano Reggiano, the oregano, the thyme, the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mix well, making sure there are no clumps of cheese.
  3. 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. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean up. 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 the prepared baking sheet. (The recipe can be prepared up to this point, covered, and refrigerated up to 8 hours ahead of time.)
  4. Preheat the broiler and set an oven rack about 4 inches from the heating element. Bring the marinara sauce to a simmer over low heat. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking (with store-bought sauce, I find a generous pinch of sugar and fresh basil go a long way). Cover and keep warm.
  5. Line another baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment for easy clean up; set aside. In a large nonstick skillet, heat about ⅛ inch of oil over medium heat until shimmering. Place 5 or 6 tenders in the pan in a single layer and 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. Place the cooked chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Cook the remaining chicken in the same manner, adding additional oil only if necessary. You may need to lower the the heat as you go, so that the chicken doesn't brown before it is cooked through.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Make-Ahead Instructions: The chicken tenders can be breaded and refrigerated up to 8 hours before pan-frying. The chicken is best and crispiest when fried right before baking, but it can also be fried up to 4 hours in advance and refrigerated. Reheat the chicken in a 350°F oven until warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes, before adding the cheese and proceeding with the recipe.
  9. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The breaded cooked chicken tenders can be frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze the chicken on the baking sheet until firm, about 1 hour, then transfer to a resealable freezer bag or layer in an airtight container with sheets of parchment between the tenders. Defrost in the refrigerator before cooking.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (About 12 servings)
  • Serving size: 1 piece
  • Calories: 410
  • Fat: 25 g
  • Saturated fat: 8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24 g
  • Sugar: 3 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 21 g
  • Sodium: 751 mg
  • Cholesterol: 101 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • I love this recipe but the first time I made it was perfection and now when I use tenderloins they get tough. Is there any tips when using tenderloins?

    • Hi Reneebeth, Did you use a different cut of chicken the first time around?

  • Restaurant quality is right! This dish was scrumptious and hit! Heated up nicely the following day.

  • This was the best chicken parm I ever had! I used gruyere cheese and parm. Was out of eggs so I coated each piece with mayo and then in the breadcrumb mixture, worked perfectly. Can’t wait to make it again. Light and so good!

    • — Sandy Stadelmann
    • Reply
  • Do you think this would go good with your Spaghetti Squash Gratin?
    https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/spaghetti-squash-gratin.html
    Or with pasta and your Tomato Sauce with Basil?
    https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/tomato-sauce-basil.html

    • — Heather DiMaggio
    • Reply
    • Heather, I think those are both great choices, so now it just comes down to personal preference. 🙂 Hope you enjoy whatever you choose!

      • Thank you! Your blog and recipes are so helpful!!

  • This was so good its a new family favorite for sure. My husband loves chicken parm but is way too heavy, greasy, salty and sweet for me at restaurants. This hit the spot for his craving and the picky kids loved it too. Thank you!

  • I finally tried this recipe, followed exact directions and my breadcrumb mixture didn’t stick to the chicken breast.. ahh dont know where I went wrong!

    • Sorry you had a problem with this, Lailah! Did you use a non-stick pan? If you did, I suspect the problem was that the oil wasn’t hot enough.

  • This really is easy and way better than any other chicken Parmesan I’ve had! Love the Fontina cheese! Thanks for another great dinner recipe 🙂

  • Jen, just want to take a moment and appreciate you and tell you thank you for your tested and true recipes. I’m new to the cooking game and have been trying to cook more for my older, European parents (they like food from scratch ;)) and made this for the first time tonight. My parents complimented the food and said thank you multiple times!! I give you all the credit!! I just read through your recipe, looked through pictures and followed instructions. I think every recipe I’ve tried on your blog (and cookbook) has been a success, every time. You’re such a blessing, thank you, thank you!! 💛💛

    • You’re so welcome — happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes!! 😊

  • Jenn. I know you say you can prepare these 8 hours before you sauté them, but can you actually prepare them the day before?

    • — Marylu Bernstein
    • Reply
    • Hi Marylu, I haven’t tried it that far in advance, but I do think you could get away with it.

      • Absolutely perfect! I’ve never had fontina cheese but bought it just for this recipe and it was a great addition! Will definitely add this to my recipe rotation.

  • So delicious

  • My husband said it was better than takeout! Definitely a restaurant-quality meal. I served it over a simple arugula salad. Thank you for the fabulous recipe, Jenn.

  • Lots of dishes to wash after making it, BUT so worth it. Seriously Italian restaurant quality. Mmmmmm

  • Is chicken tenderloin the same as Chicken tenders?

    • — Virginia Lehner
    • Reply
    • Technically, they’re slightly different. Look for chicken labeled as chicken tenderloins. Hope that helps!

  • OMG!!! This was absolutely amazing!! Every one of your recipes I have made is to die for. My husband had thirds tonight he loved it so much. I used Rao’s sauce and it was soooo delicious. I love how easy it is to make these recipes. You have a gift and I appreciate you sharing it with the world. I love your food!!!! Thank you for making my life so much easier.

    • So glad you like the recipes! 💓

  • I’ll never make chicken parm the old way again. Crisp, tasty, perfect.

  • Another great recipe. Thank you!

  • I made this recipe a couple of nights ago. It sounded so simple, but it turned out great! My wife even had a second portion! I didn’t have fontina cheese to try, so I used mozzarella.
    I like using chicken tenderloins. Placing the cheese and sauce over the middle and leaving the ends crispy is a great idea! Thanks!

  • Soooo good. Made exactly as written. Great crunch on the outside and juicy on the inside. Going in my rotation!

  • Loved this!! But boy did it stink up the house from all the frying!! I doubled the recipe…so it was doubly stinky!!!

  • Made Jenn’s chicken parmesan for dinner tonight. Served it with egg noodles. Put extra marinara sauce in a bowl for whoever wanted more sauce on their noodles. This is the best parmesan chicken ever. Crispy, tasty easy. My husband who wouldn’t eat chicken with cheese loved it. My son and his friend loved it too. This will be in the dinner rotation. Jenn, thank you for sharing wonderful recipes with us.

  • What do you suggest doing if all I have is chicken breasts?

    • Hi Amy, Just cut the breasts lengthwise into 1/2 inch-thick pieces to make them the same size as tenders. Hope you enjoy!

  • Loved, loved this beautiful crunchy chicken. We may switch to mozzarella as we didn’t especially enjoy the fontina but overall another wonderful entree!

  • Wow Jen,,,, this was the most delicious And easiest chicken parm I ever made! You are my new favorite chef!!! I’ve make quite a few dishes, your recipes do NOT disappoint! Thank you! thank you thank you!

    • You’re so welcome! ❤️

  • Excellent! Easy and delicious!

  • HUGE HIT! And so easy to make❤

  • Hi Jenn,

    Yes it’s great – I save more time using Progresso Italian flavored Panko. The same approach for eggplant cut into rounds breaded, then baked, then stacked with cheese, basil, marinara, then baked again to melt cheese.

  • Hi Jen! Love your recipes. This is another winner.

    My question is that if don’t want to put the tenders in the oven and just serve it with marinara, what temp. should the pieces be or how long should I cook it in the pan?

    Thank you.

    • Glad you like this Najwa! You’ll want to cook the chicken until it reaches 165ºF. If you don’t feel like using a thermometer, make a little cut in the thickest part of the breast and pull it apart w/ fork and knife until you can see the color of the meat. If the meat is white, then it’s fully cooked.

  • Jenn,
    I’m writing to ask a question, but first I must review this recipe…it’s been a long time coming.

    Your recipe is nothing short of perfection. What I love most is the fact you are able to capture in every bite, the one perfect bite! Gooey cheese, just the right amount of sauce with bright touches of basil, and crispy crunchy chicken which remains tender and moist. My husband and I have made this dish for friends and family as well as keep it in our regular dinner rotation.

    My question, we doubled this batch and cooked all of the chicken tenderloins instead of freezing raw and coated. I’d like to use the frozen cooked tenderloins for dinner, what do you suggest as the best method for reheating and then moving on to finish with the cheese under the broiler?

    Thanks so much!
    Jade R

    • So glad you enjoyed this dish, Jade! To reheat, put the chicken tenders on a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven until heated through and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.

  • Made this recipe last night for our close friends and it was a hit! You are always giving me inspiration and have elevated my cooking and baking to new levels! My husband now refers to you as just “Jenn.” He always asks me, “Is this another Jenn recipe.” He knows they are wonderful. ❤️

  • Hi I was wondering if i could use chicken cutlets instead of tenders? Cannot wait to make this!

    • — Melissa Pickard
    • Reply
    • Sure, Melissa – they won’t be quite as tender as pounded breasts or tenderloins but they will definitely work.

  • Another perfect recipe!

  • The chicken tenders are perfect for this recipe. I can’t go back to my old recipe for chicken parm. Concise instructions as well. I browned all the pieces (and the breading didn’t fall off!!) and saved half on a baking sheet with foil for the next day’s dinner… warmed up in the oven and finished with the cheese (broiled) and warmed tomato sauce. Tasted just as good as the night before. I always take longer to prepare than the recipe says, but this one is worth it. Besides, I had plenty for 2 dinners. Thank you Jenn for a dinner I would make for company!

  • Absolutely delicious! I have made this twice for family and it’s been a huge hit! This recipe is a keeper!

    • — Karen Greenwood
    • Reply
  • My husband does not eat meat but the rest of the family does. He does not mind if I cook his food near or food (same pan is ok). Would this same recipe work if I included an eggplant – just adjusted cooking times?

    • Sure, Dani, I think that should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it with eggplant!

  • Delicious! I served the chicken with angel hair in a tomato basil jar of sauce. Everyone went back for seconds and my other half thanked me for dinner and told me it exceptional. Well worth the effort.

  • This was another winner from Jenn! So tasty – my husband and I really enjoyed it. Very easy with great step by step instructions. Delicious!

  • These were fantastic. Thanks so much for this recipe! It’s a keeper. Leftovers tasted just as good reheated.

  • This was a great, easy weeknight dinner….and I am always looking for easy weeknight dinners! My husband and teenage son loved it. I believe “outstanding” is the word I kept hearing 🙂 Thank you, Jenn for another great one. Your recipes never disappoint.

  • Delicious, and not too difficult at all! The chicken was tender and crispy. I did not season my chicken as much (based on another reviewer’s comments) but think I could have used the extra salt. Thanks for another keeper!

  • I made (and reviewed) this dish about a week ago. I didn’t need the entire batch, so I followed Jen’s directions for freezing the breaded tenders. I pulled them out, thawed them in the fridge, and had a quick and easy weeknight meal tonight. I would have never thought to freeze raw, breaded chicken. Thanks for the tip!

  • Became too salty for our taste
    I would eliminate salt & peppering
    Chicken before batter process
    The 2 cheeses are both salty on there own Very easy & we will make again with the salt & pepper eliminated thank you for your joy of cooking

  • The best chicken parm I have ever made ! Used to make it with thin breasts but this trick yields much more juicy and tender breasts ! I used a meat mallet to just gently pound the tenderloins what a genius trick ! I love how you don’t add sauce to the chicken itself . This keeps left over chicken from getting soggy . Only thing I changed was that I seasoned the chicken with some garlic powder too along wth salt and pepper . It adds a great flavorful taste to chicken .

    • Oh and used moz instead of fontina and added a lot more cheese !

  • This recipe was so easy and so tasty – the best crispy chicken parm ever!! My family keep thinking that I’m a really good cook now, but I have to keep reminding them that I’m just following your recipes 😉 Recently bought your book too, so looking forward to trying out published recipes not on your site.

  • I made this last night and it was so good! Chicken parmigiana is my favorite comfort food and I was so excited to see the recipe added this week. I especially appreciate the tips on jazzing up jarred sauce. I followed your instructions exactly– I bought the brand you suggested, added sugar, and added some fresh basil. My family thought it was homemade! Thanks for making me look like a kitchen rock star again!

  • Jenn, you are soo great! i have your book and every week I cant wait to see what ypu goig tp post. Your recipes make my family HAPPY 🙂 I see often recipes need “fontina” cheese. What kind of cheese is this?

    • Hi Edith, Fontina is a good melting cheese with a mild, nutty flavor. Italian fontina is the best but it can be expensive and hard to find. Most large supermarkets carry Swedish or Danish fontina (with a red wax rind), which is less expensive and perfectly fine to use here. Hope that helps!

      • found a nice Fontina cheese at the farmers market. Thank you. My whole family enjoyed this recipe. So good and quick. Love love love cooking with you.

  • I made these tonight and was trying to use up some whole breasts I had. Well I didn’t get them thin enough so took a long time to cook (my fault). BUT they still tasted wonderful and I have leftovers. I will definitely do this again!

  • I think you could use pork here. I use boneless chops and then flatten them (like your chicken piccata recipe). Basically, you then have Schnitzel Parmesan.

  • I am sure, like all of Jenn’s dishes, this is delicious. I have made the cutlets, (always add chopped parsley for a bit of color), but pretty much follow what Jenn suggests. Then freeze. I always have homemade sauce in jars in the freezer, so I don’t have to use bought sauce. I have had people rave about mine. They had no idea that I did all the work a long time in advance. I learned about freezing the chicken from a friend and have always done it this way since.

  • This looks great, but I think that the nutritional info has a mistake – there’s no way that this is 12 servings! Thanks!

    • Hi Sally, The recipe calls for about 12 tenderloins, so it’s per piece. Sorry for the confusion!

  • Hi Jen, I see the frying pan you are using comes up on your posts quite often. Is it a Green Pan or Scanpan? (I bought your cookbook and am really enjoying cooking through all the recipes.)

    • Hi Lu, Glad you’re enjoying the book. 🙂 The pan you see is a 10-in All-Clad nonstick skillet. Hope that helps!

      • Hi Jenn,
        I have made this recipe may times and love it, but have a question regarding removing the white tendon in the tenderloin. Whenever I do that I massacre the tender. It’s time-consuming and messy. What if I don’t remove it? I made your BBQ chicken recipe using tenders and did not remove the tendon. It was fine. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. You make me look like I know what I’m doing 😄

        • — Claudia McVeigh
        • Reply
        • Hi Claudia, If it doesn’t bother you to have the tendon, it’s fine to leave it there. (And glad you like this!)

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