Parmesan Crusted Chicken
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Parmesan crusted chicken is easy enough to make for a busy weeknight but also special enough for company.
Parmesan crusted chicken is a great chicken dish to add to your repertoire. It’s easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner but also special enough for company, and it appeals to the whole family. Kids especially love it because it bears some resemblance to chicken fingers. There are two secrets to success: first, pounding the chicken breasts to an even 1/4-inch thickness tenderizes the meat and ensures even cooking; second, a three-step breading method ensures that the coating adheres to the meat while it cooks, resulting in a crispy crust and juicy interior every time. The fresh herbs are totally optional – use what you have on hand or none at all.
For a variation on this recipe, try my easy parmesan chicken, which uses a similar breading and pan-frying technique but is then baked topped with marinara sauce and cheese, or chicken piccata, which is served with a lemon and caper sauce. For a vegetarian option, you can follow the directions for breading and frying eggplant in my eggplant parmesan recipe.
What You’ll Need To Make Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Step-by-Step Instructions
Set up three large shallow bowls in an assembly line. Put the flour in the first bowl.
Beat the eggs in the second bowl.
Finally, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh herbs in the third bowl.
Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Dredge the first chicken breast in the flour and shake off the excess until just a light coating remains.
Next, dip the chicken in the egg mixture and turn to coat evenly, letting any excess egg drip off.
Finally, dredge the chicken in the bread crumb mixture, turning a few times to coat well. Set breaded chicken on a plate and repeat until all of the chicken breasts are breaded.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until the first side is golden brown. Flip and continue cooking until done, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Video Tutorial
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Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Parmesan crusted chicken is easy enough to make for a busy weeknight but also special enough for company.
Ingredients
For Breading
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs (I use Progresso)
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, chives or rosemary
For Chicken
- 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds), pounded ¼"-thick (see note)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Set up three large shallow bowls in an assembly line. Put the flour in the first bowl; beat the eggs in the second bowl; and mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh herbs in the third bowl.
- Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge the first chicken breast in the flour and shake off the excess until just a light coating remains. Next, dip the chicken in the egg mixture and turn to coat evenly, letting any excess egg drip off. Finally, dredge the chicken in the bread crumb mixture, turning a few times to coat well. Set breaded chicken on a plate and repeat until all of the chicken breasts are breaded.
- Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the first side is golden brown. Flip and continue cooking until done, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
- Note: If chicken breasts are large (8 or more ounces), it's best to cut them in half once they are pounded out. Alternatively, you can cut them in half horizontally before pounding.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 562
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Sugar: 1g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 48g
- Sodium: 1218mg
- Cholesterol: 223mg
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
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I made this tonight for the first time. I skipped the flouring step and it still was crispy and delicious! My husband said he thought it would be amazing as the basis of Chicken Parm. We’re trying that soon! Thanks Jenn for another “go to” dinner ❤️
This recipe is terrific! Everyone loved it and asked me to make it again. I used 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning instead of the fresh herbs and it was perfect.
This was delicious! I used thyme and Italian parsley.
Jenn I had to write a review! I’ve been trying to get my 4 year old who is a picky eater to eat meats. She has gotten better, but still only has her select meats she will eat. She loved your chicken and so did the whole family. Thank you for your recipes that are always so precise.
This chicken was excellent. Crispy on the outside and super tender and juicy inside. My husband loved it. It was quick and easy to make as well. This will definitely be added to my top recipes! Thank you Jennifer! Five stars.
Was delicious. The only thing that puzzled me is that the delicious breading came off when cutting the chicken. Maybe it needed to rest first. Either way, thank you. Will be making it again.
Hi, Jen. We absolutely love this dish, and it makes such a wonderful meal, and the arugula salad is fantastic with it. I was wondering what you thought about making it in an air fryer? Do you think it would work, or shouldn’t I mess with perfection? Thank you, too, for all your other delicious recipes and tips.
Hi Susan, Glad you like this! I don’t own an air fryer so unfortunately, I can’t tell you confidently whether or not this would work in one. These tips may help you to convert this and other recipes for your air fryer. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
Thanks for your reply, Jen. If I try it, I’ll let you know how it turns out. Thank you for the link to the tips, too.
This was delicious! My children kept going back for more, which felt so good to see. We paired it with some lemon orzo and a great salad, and it was perfect. Thank you!
Made this for dinner tonight, and it was a hit with my family! I used Italian seasoned panko crumbs which produced an awesome crunchy breading. I didn’t have fresh herbs on hand, so I used a tsp of ‘Little Italy’ seasoning blend from The Spice House. This will go into the rotation for sure! Thanks for another keeper, Jen!
With storms all over the country and my guests having to cancel their plans at the last minute, I am left with a lot of chicken breasts that I had been frozen and defrosted. I will use your recipe and freeze the cooked chicken. How do you suggest I reheat at the appropriate time?
That’s so disappointing! Glad you’ve come up with a backup plan for the chicken. I would reheat them on a baking sheet at 325°F until heated through. They won’t be quite as crispy as when you first made them, but they should still be good.
Yes, I made this recipe! It was so easy and perfectly delicious. My husband loved it too. I did make a little change. I used a beaten egg to dip the chicken in. It was great!
Loved this! We had been making another recipe that was similar but it wasn’t near as flavourful as the parmesan and herbs add to this dish.
Simply wonderful and EASY to make. Thank you Jen.
Hi Jen, can I use panko crumbs instead of bread? Tenders instead of breast? Thanks in advance!
Yes and yes – hope you enjoy!
This sounds a lot like a recipe that I “invented” a while ago — a couple of changes that I have made: I use boneless/skinless thighs, panko instead of regular bread crumbs, dried thyme and oregano and a grated clove of garlic in the panko/cheese mix. Because I live alone, I make 6 or 8; however many thighs are in the package at a time. I don’t cook them quite all the way; I wrap each one once it’s cool and put them in a container in the freezer. Such an easy dinner when I defrost one, put it in a 325 oven for 10 minutes or so and, voila, dinner.
Thanks for so many great recipes, Jen.
Peggy
Jenn. not a breast lover…could I substitute skinless, boneless thighs?
You can, but they will take longer to cook. I would cook the chicken in a saute pan as directed and then finish them off on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven. Start checking them for doneness after about 15 – 20 minutes. I’d love to hear how they it turns out with thighs. 🙂
Jen, I have come to rely on your site on a regular basis, both for daily family meals and special occasions. This dish is a favorite in our household of 3, but I have a more general question about taking a favorite dish/menu and expanding for a larger gathering….maybe even as a part of your Pro Tips section. When you take a meal for 3-4 and expand it to maybe 6, 8, 10 people, how do you stage and plan that? What kind of dishes can be held and kept warm, but still taste great? What things really are really best prepared a la minute? I have a medium sized kitchen, with separate kitchen eating and dining room. Are there some serving dishes that would support a larger dinner menu? Thank you.
So glad you enjoy the recipes enough to use them consistently. I will keep your request in mind as I’m developing new recipes, but if you ever have a related question about any recipe, feel free to ask!
I’ve tried this recipe 3 times. Always good! Easy, quick. To spice it up a bit, I’ve added more garlic, onion powder and more ground pepper. (Perhaps a little sprinkle of cayenne too?)
Squeeze a bit of the lemon over the chicken right after baking.
-Scotty – Minnesota 8/16/22
Sounds like you’re just some capers and chicken stock shy of Jen’s Chicken Piccata. Heheheh.
I have been looking for new (to me) ways to cook chicken. Your recipe “Parmesan Encrusted Chicken” sounded good and I had all of the ingredients on hand, so I gave
it a whirl. Delicious! Easy to make and it earned me raves from the fam. Thank you!
Looking forward to trying this soon! What are some good carb side options to serve with this?
Hi Heather, this would be nice with the crusty bread, or the rosemary focaccia or parmesan smashed potatoes. Hope that helps!
Thanks ☺️
This was incredible and my wife wants it on repeat. Two questions: 1. Is there a sauce that might pair well with this? 2. Would this recipe work with tilapia?
Thanks!
So glad you both enjoyed it! This would pair nicely with marinara or piccata sauce. 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight. I also made the Arugula Salad on this site. Absolutely DELISH!!!! SO SO YUMMY! So easy to make and just loved it. Followed the recipe exactly. I used the exact times mentioned in the recipe and used a Cast Iron skillet. Everything is better cooked in Cast Iron! The chicken was tender and moist. I put the Arugula Salad on top of the chicken. Placed a couple of lemon wedges on the side. A glass of my favorite Chardonnay and I was very happy after I finished my dinner. My hubby is out of town an I had THE BEST dinner. Thank you Jen!!
I’ve actually been making chicken cutlets for decades using this same recipe. However, all of a sudden I can’t keep the breading from releasing from the chicken. Once I was left holding just the cooked breading when the chicken slid out. I pat the chicken dry just before dredging in flour and shake off excess before dipping in egg. Any suggestions?
Hi Steven, the two possibilities I can think of are that the oil in the pan isn’t hot enough (is there a chance you may be crowding the chicken in the pan?) or that you may be overhandling the chicken while it’s cooking.
You have two breasts in the pan in the video tutorial. Am I supposed to cook this in two batches? Also, you’re awesome!
Hi Andrew, If you can fit them all in the pan, you can cook them in one batch. Sometimes when you pound them out, they get huge. Hope that helps! 😊
Made this for lunch today! It was amazingly easy! The chicken was moist,
flavorful, and cut-with-a-fork tender! Dad said to be sure and buy this again!
He was surprised to find out it wasn’t from a restaurant! That’s quite a
compliment! Thank you, Jenn!
Made this recipe tonight. Turned out super super delicious. I was liberal on the Parmesan cheese however, when I added it to the breading. Would highly recommend!
Recipe doesn’t say what temperature or how long to cook.
Hi Andrew, the chicken should be cooked over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side (that info is in the 3rd paragraph of the instructions). Hope you enjoy!
Andrew, I’d highly recommend investing in a decent meat thermometer. Then look up bacteria killing temps. For example chicken, is frequently recommend to cook at 165F. That’s the temp that instantly kills bacteria. At 160F, it takes only 15 seconds of maintaining that temp to kill the bacteria. That means if you pull your chicken at 160F for example, it will continue to cook while it’s resting for a bit, it being perfectly safe and also much juicer. (At 160F it will also no longer be pink).
Really tasty, simple to make. Didn’t have it with the recommended rocket salad but definitely will the next time I make it.
This was fantastic.
I double breaded it but other than that followed the recipe exactly.
Best recipe for wonderful crispy, moist chicken with great flavor as well! Now a family favorite!
Made using thyme, rosemary and parsley for the fresh herbs. Delicious!
Loved it
My kids and husband loved it. A keeper. Did two batches-the second added a little adobe and garlic powder in the parmesan cheese and bread crumb mixture.
Absolutely love all your recipes! Can I bread the chicken earlier in the day?
Glad you like the recipes! Yes, breading the chicken earlier in the day should be fine. Enjoy!
This is a great recipe. I made it for my girlfriend and she absolutely loved it!