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This Parmesan crusted chicken recipe pairs tender, juicy chicken with a crisp, golden Parmesan coating—and it’s on the table in 30 minutes.
Parmesan crusted chicken is one of those dishes that feels a little more special than your everyday weeknight chicken dinner without requiring much extra effort. The chicken is coated in seasoned breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and fresh herbs, then pan-fried until golden. I love it with a squeeze of lemon, or topped with a lemony arugula salad for a light meal.
There are two secrets to getting it just right. First, pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness tenderizes the meat and ensures even cooking. Second, the 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.
“Doing the 3-step breading process really makes a difference in the outcome…restaurant quality!”
What You’ll Need To Make Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Flour and eggs: These work together to help the coating stick to the chicken. The flour gives the egg something to grab onto, and the egg helps the breadcrumbs adhere.
- Seasoned Italian breadcrumbs: I like Progresso here; the crumbs are fine and even, so they form a crisp, golden coating on the chicken.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh herbs: For the best flavor, use authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano—look for the name embossed on the rind, or check the label on grated cheese to make sure it’s the real thing. Thyme, parsley, chives, or rosemary all work well.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Pounding them thin helps them cook quickly and evenly. If yours are large, cut them into smaller portions after pounding.
- Olive oil: Adds flavor as the chicken pan-fries and helps the coating turn crisp and golden.
- Lemon wedges: A squeeze of fresh lemon cuts through the richness of the Parmesan and brightens the finished dish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Season the chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Getting the chicken evenly thin is important—it helps it cook quickly and evenly without drying out.
Bread the chicken: Set up three shallow bowls with flour, beaten eggs, and the Parmesan-breadcrumb mixture. Coat each piece first in flour, then egg, then the Parmesan mixture, pressing gently so the coating adheres. Shake off the excess at each stage so the breading doesn’t get too thick.
Pan-fry the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the chicken without crowding the pan. Cook until crisp and golden on the first side, then flip and cook until golden and cooked through. Try not to move the chicken as it cooks so the coating stays put.
Serve: Serve the chicken hot with lemon wedges—the fresh acidity is a nice contrast to the rich Parmesan coating.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating Instructions
Make ahead: You can bread the chicken up to a day ahead. Arrange the breaded cutlets on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before frying.
Storage and reheating: Refrigerate leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the cutlets on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and warm in a 375°F oven until heated through. This will help restore some of the coating’s crispness.
Freezing: To freeze the chicken before cooking, arrange the breaded cutlets in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 1 to 2 hours. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container, separating layers with parchment paper, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before pan-frying.
You can also freeze the cooked chicken for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, wrap each piece individually, and store in a freezer-safe bag. Reheat in a 375°F oven until heated through and crisp. Avoid microwaving, which can make the coating soggy.
Video Tutorial
Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
For Breading
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs (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 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ lb/680 g), pounded ¼-in (6 mm) 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.
- Dip the chicken in the beaten eggs 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.
Notes
- If the breasts are large (8 oz/227 g or more), you can either cut them in half crosswise after pounding to create smaller portions or slice them in half horizontally before pounding to make thinner cutlets that won’t spread as much when pounded.
Nutrition Information
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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What to Serve with Parmesan Crusted Chicken
In addition to the arugula salad mentioned above, Parmesan crusted chicken pairs beautifully with roasted asparagus or garlicky roasted broccoli. For something heartier, try Parmesan smashed potatoes or a simple side of spaghetti aglio e olio.
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I have made this recipe before, and when I was looking for a quick recipe for some chicken breasts that I had defrosted. I remembered how much we loved this recipe before. Thank you, it is quick and easy and ready in about a half hour to 45 minutes!
Thanks for the wonderful recipe, Jenn! We have an upscale restaurant in town that offers a version of this, and I was craving it last night. My husband said mine turned out better than the restaurant’s! I’ll definitely make it again. I added some fresh basil to the breading along with some Italian seasonings, served it with rice pilaf and roasted brussels sprouts with a balsamic glaze. YUM>>>>>>!!!!!!
Everyone loved this. Made exactly according to the recipe and served with roasted broccoli, French bread, and a little marinara for dipping. As the introduction says, this is quick enough for a weeknight, but nice enough for a special dinner. This is definitely making our short list.
This was absolutely delicious and I had 5 clean plates with no complaints. I did change to gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs for 3 celiacs but altered nothing else. Served with carrots broccoli and Cavallo Nero, Parmentier potatoes, and a fresh tomato sauce. Definitely one to put on rotation for our family. Would definitely recommend it.
This was delicious! My whole family loved it, even my picky younger sister! Definitely going to make again.
I have made this twice and it is just great. I have a question though. The second time I made it the crust came off when we cut into it. I can’t for the life of me figure out what I did wrong the second time. Any thoughts? Thank you for always giving us such great recipes.
Hi Mary, Glad you liked this but sorry you had a problem with the breading. It could be that your chicken was a little too moist. Next time you make this, I’d pat the chicken dry with paper towels before you start breading it.
We LOVED this chicken. I have been looking for a recipe that was really easy, but still moist for a long time. Thank you for the tips about the best way to coat it and bake it. I serve this with rice and asparagus and it was a win in my house. I’m a busy working mom and know I can pull this off after work any day. I also had all of the ingredients handy. I am going to try this in pasta too. Thank you for sharing this.
I first used your recipe a few years ago and this parm crusted chicken has now become my family’s favorite! A friend called last night asking for the recipe which made me think of you. After giving her your website, I’m back visiting your site myself – noticed you have a cookbook, so I’ll be ordering one!
Tonight I’m going to try the Peruvian chicken recipe but using individual chicken breast. Not sure if it will work the same but excited to try! Thank you!!
What is the temperature to cook to and how can I tell if the chicken is done exactly?
Hi Jerome, I would use visual cues to determine if the chicken is done. You can make a small cut in the thickest part of the chicken piece(s) and pull apart the sides with a knife and fork. If the meat is completely white (with no hints of pink) it is cooked through. If you do want to check it with an instant-read thermometer, the number you’re looking for is 165ºF. Hope that helps!
My family really enjoys this recipe !
Two comments
My chicken always browns before it is cooked through and I find that I have to bake it afterwards for 10 minutes. I guess I’m not pounding it thin enough? Or cooking on too high heat?
Second, can I pound and bread chicken ahead of time and store in fridge and then fry at dinner time?
Glad you like this! Regarding your first question, yes, I’d pound it a bit thinner and I’d turn down the heat a little while the chicken is cooking. And while I haven’t done it, I think it’s fine to bread the chicken ahead and stored in the fridge until dinner. Hope that helps!
I was looking for a new chicken recipe and this was different from my usual baked, broiled, stewed, etc. My whole family flipped for this dish! My husband said it was a top notch restaurant chicken dish! I used fresh herbs I had in my garden; chives, rosemary and parsley along with some regular Italian seasoning. I couldn’t believe it when it turned out looking just like the photo accompanying the recipe! The chicken was fork tender!