Tender, juicy breaded chicken cutlets under melting cheese and a layer of perfectly simple marinara sauce. Make dinner an event to remember with delicious Homemade Chicken Parmesan.

Chicken parmesan over marinara sauce and a bed of angel hair pasta on a white dinner plate.

Easy Chicken Parmesan

Make it Italian night without leaving the house! This Homemade Chicken Parmesan is tender, juicy, crispy and covered in a flavorful marinara and rich melting cheese. It’s so easy to make and so delicious. Just 25 minutes in the oven and you have a classic Italian dinner on the table.

An aluminum baking sheet with chicken cutlets covered in marinara and melted cheese. A large white serving bowl of pasta is in the background and a small white dish of marinara in the foreground.

Pasta or Pass!

You can serve chicken parmesan with spaghetti, angel hair or your favorite pasta. No noodle police here! Honestly, sometimes pasta can feel too heavy and I’ll skip it and serve my chicken parmesan with a side salad. There’s so much flavor and delicious texture to enjoy, I don’t miss the carbs!

Chicken parmesan over marinara sauce and a bed of angel hair pasta on a white dinner plate.

Chopped Caesar Salad

Crisp romaine, salty parmesan and a flavorful dressing tossed with crunchy homemade croutons. This Chopped Caesar Salad is an easy, straight-forward recipe that is sure to become your go-to salad.

A large white serving bowl filled with caesar salad topped with croutons. Two wooden spoons stick out from under the salad.

What Do I Need to Make Chicken Parmesan?

  • Thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets
  • Kosher salt
  • Buttermilk
  • Fine Italian-style bread crumbs
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • Fresh mozzarella cheese
  • Marinara sauce (see recipe)
  • Chiffonade-cut fresh basil
  • Rimmed baking sheet
  • Spaghetti or angel hair pasta (optional, for serving)
  • Meat tenderizer (or rolling pin)
  • Meat thermometer
Ingredients to make homemade chicken parm in white dishes on a white marble counter.

A Simple Marinara Sauce

Make a Simple Marinara Sauce so flavorful, you’ll never want go back to jarred sauce again!

A large pot with red marinara sauce in it. A wooden spoon with a white handle is sticking out of the pot.

How to Make Homemade Chicken Parmesan

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed generously with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board and pound evenly with a meat tenderizer. 
  • Season the chicken breasts with salt.
  • Place the buttermilk in a shallow bowl. Combine both types of bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese in another shallow bowl.
Steps to make chicken parmesan.
  • Using a fork, pick up a chicken breast, dip it into the buttermilk, and allow the excess buttermilk to drip off. Place the chicken breast in the bread crumb mixture, lightly pressing to coat both sides.
  • Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking pan. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
  • Spray the chicken breasts with olive oil cooking spray, then bake for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven and spread each piece with 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce.
Steps to Make Chicken Parmesan.
  • Top with a slice of mozzarella cheese. 
Six chicken cutlets topped with marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella on an aluminum baking sheet.
  • Return the chicken to the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken interior registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Six chicken cutlets topped with marinara sauce and melted fresh mozzarella on an aluminum baking sheet.

More Hot Meals in Minutes

Get family dinner on the table in about 30 minutes with My Favorite Hot Meals in Minutes. These delicious and quick dinner recipes are perfect for weeknight meals when time is short and the crowd is hungry.

How to Store Chicken Parmesan

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

To freeze, gently wrap each piece in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn and then place in a freezer-safe baggie or container to store in the freezer for up to three months.

To reheat, place on a foil-lined and greased baking sheet on the middle rack in a 325°F oven until heated through.

Chicken parmesan over marinara sauce and a bed of angel hair pasta on a white dinner plate.

If you make this Homemade Chicken Parmesan, be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see! 😍 I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes and ideas I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,

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Chicken parmesan over marinara sauce and a bed of angel hair pasta on a white dinner plate.

Homemade Chicken Parmesan

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  • Author: The BakerMama
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings

Description

Tender, juicy breaded chicken cutlets under melting cheese and a layer of perfectly simple marinara sauce.


Ingredients

  • 6 thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets (about 2 pounds)
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup fine Italian-style bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • 6 slices fresh mozzarella cheese, cut 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 cup simple marinara sauce (see recipe)
  • 1/4 cup chiffonade-cut fresh basil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed generously with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board and pound evenly with a meat tenderizer.
  3. Season the chicken breasts with salt.
  4. Place the buttermilk in a shallow bowl. Combine both types of bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese in another shallow bowl.
  5. Using a fork, pick up a chicken breast, dip it into the buttermilk, and allow the excess buttermilk to drip off. Place the chicken breast in the bread crumb mixture, lightly pressing to coat both sides. Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking pan. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
  6. Spray the chicken breasts with olive oil cooking spray, then bake for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
  7. Remove the chicken from the oven and spread each piece with 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce and then top with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Return the chicken to the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken interior registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
  8. Garnish with the basil. Serve with pasta and more marinara sauce, if desired.

About The BakerMama

Maegan is the author of her best-selling Beautiful Boards, Spectacular Spreads and Brilliant Bites cookbooks. She started blogging in 2012 and features hundreds of original recipes on The BakerMama. She truly enjoys sharing her easy, family-friendly recipes, creative meal ideas, food board creations, and entertaining spreads to encourage others to get in the kitchen and make something memorable for their loved ones to enjoy together. Learn More

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