Chicken Parmesan

By Melissa Clark

Updated Sept. 19, 2025

Chicken Parmesan
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
5(7,087)
Comments
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A classic Italian-American Parmesan — a casserole of fried, breaded meat or eggplant covered with tomato sauce and molten cheese — is all about balance. You need a bracing a tomato sauce to cut out the fried richness, while a milky, mild mozzarella rounds out the Parmesan’s tang. Baked until brown-edged and bubbling, it’s classic comfort food — hearty, gooey and satisfying. Although chicken or veal cutlets are the standard, boneless, skinless chicken thighs make a more flavorful alternative. Pork or turkey cutlets work nicely here, too. Serve with an assertively-dressed green salad and a loaf of crusty bread. Store leftover chicken Parmesan in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 6 months.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • 2pounds boneless, skinless chicken, turkey or pork cutlets (or use chicken thighs for even more flavor)
  • ½cup all-purpose flour
  • 3large eggs, beaten
  • 2 to 3cups panko bread crumbs, as needed
  • Kosher salt, as needed
  • Black pepper, as needed
  • Olive oil, for frying
  • 5cups Simple Tomato Sauce (see recipe)
  • 1cup finely grated Parmesan, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • ½pound fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-sized pieces
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

1389 calories; 114 grams fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 68 grams monounsaturated fat; 14 grams polyunsaturated fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 55 grams protein; 1623 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place cutlets between two pieces of parchment or plastic wrap. Using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin, pound meat to even ¼-inch-thick slices.

  2. Step 2

    Place flour, eggs and panko into three wide, shallow bowls. Season meat generously with salt and pepper. Dip a piece in flour, then eggs, then coat with panko. Repeat until all the meat is coated.

  3. Step 3

    Fill a large skillet with ½-inch oil. Place over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, fry cutlets in batches, turning halfway through, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

  4. Step 4

    Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle one-third of the Parmesan over sauce. Place half of the cutlets over the Parmesan and top with half the mozzarella pieces. Top with half the remaining sauce, sprinkle with another third of the Parmesan, and repeat layering, ending with a final layer of sauce and Parmesan.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer pan to oven and bake until cheese is golden and casserole is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
7,087 user ratings
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Comments

Larry G.

I do a simple one pan version:
Pan fry the cutlets.
Wipe the pan clean of the oil.
Place cutlets back in pan.
Place a thin slice of Prosciutto over each cutlet.
Place a slice of fresh mozzarella over each.
Place a dolop of tomato sauce over each.
Cover skillet and saute over low heat until cheese melts

Betsy R

I thought for quite awhile about how I could retain the crunch in this dish without frying. I used skinless boneless chicken thighs and salted and floured them, then sautéed. I deglazed the pan with vermouth and added that on top of the chicken nestled in a lot of sauce.Then came the Mozzarella & Parmesan. Then I took Panko and added herbs and olive oil and spread it over the top of the dish. It got all brown, crunchy and good! Excellent! No need to pound thinly or fry. Yum!

Jacki

I have whipped up chicken parm on many occasions but decided to follow this recipe, which has you bake the chicken for 40 minutes in the sauce. For me, one of the best parts of chicken parm, or any parm, is the crunchy breading under the sauce and melted cheese, which you can get easily by frying your chicken, then topping with sauce and cheese and broiling. This recipe just produced really soggy chicken and a watery mess. Perhaps my mozzarella was the culprit, but it was disappointing.

christina

After it came out of the pan all crispy and nice, once baked it seemed to get soggy and not retain the crunch. Any ideas?

Kerri

This was an effective weeknight meal for the fam! Had some left over chicken thighs, some jarred sauce—figured, why not? Tine was of the essence so I baked for 20 minutes and then switched to the broiler to accelerate the browning of the cheese. The 2 year old ruled it, “Mommy, yummy!”

Melissa H.

This is an outstanding recipe, I am adding it to my Favorites in my recipe box. One thing I feel makes all the difference in the world, though, is that the Simple Sauce should be started in a slow cooker hours before and with a lot more garlic for my taste. I do that every time including this one....great marinara sauces take time.

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