Description
This Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan recipe features tender, breaded chicken cutlets baked to golden perfection, topped with marinara sauce and melted fresh mozzarella, served over a bed of spaghetti. A healthier alternative to fried versions, this classic Italian-American dish combines crispy crust and cheesy goodness, making it perfect for a family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (3 chicken breasts)
- Cooking spray or oil (for spraying the chicken)
For the Sauce and Topping:
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce (plus more for serving)
- 10 ounces fresh sliced mozzarella
For the Pasta:
- 12 ounces spaghetti (3/4 of a normal sized box)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat oven to 400º F and lightly grease a sheet pan. Fill a large pot with water, cover, and bring to a boil for cooking the spaghetti later.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix the flour and kosher salt. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs. In a third bowl, combine Italian breadcrumbs and grated parmesan cheese.
- Prepare Chicken Cutlets: Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally to create six thin, even cutlets total.
- Coat Chicken: Dredge each chicken cutlet first in the flour mixture, then dip in the eggs, letting excess drip off, and finally coat thoroughly in the breadcrumb and parmesan mixture. Place coated cutlets on the greased sheet pan. Repeat for all cutlets.
- Bake Chicken – First Side: Lightly spray the coated chicken cutlets with oil and bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes.
- Flip and Continue Baking: Carefully flip each cutlet over and bake an additional 10 minutes.
- Cook Spaghetti: When the chicken has about 10-11 minutes remaining, add spaghetti to the boiling water. Cook until al dente according to package instructions, drain, and set aside.
- Add Toppings and Final Bake: Remove the chicken from the oven, spoon a tablespoon of marinara sauce onto each cutlet, and top with two slices of fresh mozzarella. Return to the oven and bake 3-5 more minutes until the chicken reaches 165ºF internally and the cheese is melted.
- Rest and Serve: Let chicken parmesan rest for 5 minutes. Serve chicken cutlets over the cooked spaghetti with additional marinara sauce as desired.
Notes
- Use thinly sliced chicken cutlets for even cooking and breading adherence.
- Make sure to spray the chicken lightly with oil before baking to help achieve a crispy crust.
- Check internal temperature of chicken to ensure it reaches 165ºF for safe consumption.
- Fresh mozzarella melts best and provides a creamy texture contrasting the crispy coating.
- This recipe can be adapted to gluten-free by using gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs.