This is my Ultimate Chicken Parmigiana (Just like East Side Mario’s) Recipe. This quick and easy chicken parmigiana recipe gives you tender, juicy chicken cutlets coated in a crisp and golden-brown crust, covered in tangy marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. I promise you, if you follow this recipe, your taste buds will thank you. It is just like East Side Mario’s but better! It’s a classic for a reason—what’s not to love?!
Chicken Parmigiana (also called chicken parmesan) is my husband’s favorite dish, and I have been making it for over 15 years. I have tried different methods, and we now agree this is the best way to make chicken parmigiana.
Why should you try this chicken parmigiana recipe?
Compared to other Chicken Parmigiana recipes, this one: saves you time, minimizes mess, is budget-friendly, and turns out perfect every time. The chicken is always moist and juicy inside and perfectly crispy on the outside.
What’s the secret ingredient? The addition of Panko bread crumbs further enhances the crispy texture, and mayo contributes to keeping the chicken juicy during the cooking process. Finally, finishing the dish in the oven ensures that the chicken turns out both moist and flavorful on the inside while maintaining delightful crispiness on the outside. Overall, this method not only guarantees a delicious meal but also saves time, money, and hassle, making it an ideal choice for anyone craving a satisfying Chicken Parmigiana experience.
So, how does it save you time while minimizing mess? In many recipes, you need multiple plates to hold your eggs, Panko flour, etc. In this recipe, all you need is a cutting board and a bowl to get all of the chicken breaded.
How does it save you money? In the past, using eggs in the recipe posed a challenge, as egg sizes vary, and I would often run out just when I had one chicken left. Then I would have to discard the egg because I can’t really keep an egg that has been in contact with raw chicken. Well, with this recipe, there is no more wastage of ingredients. Intrigued? Excited? Well, it’s time to dive into the details and discover the step-by-step guide below.
Ingredients:
- Chicken: You can either cut them in half or butterfly them like I did (cut in half but leave the two parts connected, so don’t cut all the way through).
- Salt & Garlic Powder: Both are used to season the chicken and ensure this is a flavorful dish. However, be careful with how much salt you use, considering your marinara sauce and cheese likely already contain salt.
- Mayo: This is the secret ingredient. I used to use eggs before. But guess what mayo is made from? Eggs! That’s right! So mayo is the perfect substitute. The best part is I scoop it out little by little, and there is no wastage of eggs anymore. Zero waste! It is perfect. So, I recommend you do the same.
- Panko Bread Crumbs: Necessary for your chicken to turn out extra crispy.
- Marinara Sauce: You can use tomato passata as well, or any other tomato-based sauce should be fine too. I prefer marinara sauce, so if I have that, then that’s what I use. But if I don’t, I use something else, and it turns out fine.
- Mozzarella Cheese and Parmesan Cheese: This is the last layer of your dish. Ideally, you should buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself for the best flavor. But to be honest, since I’ve had kids, I just buy the pre-shredded ones, and I am happier this way. If you don’t have Parmesan cheese, you can skip it if you like, or even use a different kind of cheese. Mozzarella is the most traditional one, I would say, but I use what I have. This means I have used cheddar cheese in the past, so I won’t judge you for using what you have.:)
- Olive Oil
Directions:
1:Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.
2: Cut the chicken in half (or butterfly it) and pat it with paper towels.
3: Season each breast with salt and garlic powder on both sides.
4: Spread a thin layer of mayo on both sides of the chicken.
5: Pour the Panko bread crumbs into a shallow bowl. Coat each chicken breast in Panko bread crumbs. Make sure to press the chicken into the bread crumbs to coat it completely.
6:Heat a large nonstick large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil and pan-fry the chicken until golden brown. There is no need to cook the chicken all the way through—just make the Panko crumbs golden. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.
7: Place the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet. Don’t skip the foil! It’s great not having things stuck to the baking sheet. Trust me!
8: Spoon the marinara sauce over the chicken, then add the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese.
9: Bake it in the oven until the cheese melts and turns golden brown and until the chicken is cooked through (about 10 minutes).
What to Serve with Chicken Parmigiana?
My favorite side dish for Chicken Parmigiana is spaghetti aglio e olio. Make sure to check out my recipe for that! A nice salad, a vegetable side, French fries, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread would also be great choices.
Common Substitutions:
Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan Cheese: This dish is traditionally made with mozzarella cheese. But, like I said before, I use what I have. This means I have used cheddar cheese in the past, so I won’t judge you for using what you have.:). If you are out of parmesan cheese, then skip it altogether. You can just use mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese for example, if that is what you have at home. Another option to substitute the mozzarela cheese could also be provolone cheese.
Marinara Sauce: You can use homemade marinara sauce, store-bought marinara sauce, or another tomato sauce of your choice. Again, I use what I have, sometimes I only have tomato passata at home, so I use that instead. If you like you can add a pinch of garlic and of Italian herbs to add a little bit more flavor to your passata.
Mayo: You can substitute mayo for eggs, but it WILL affect your dish. The mayo makes the chicken a lot more juicy and moist, so personally I try not to skip the mayo or substitute it with anything else.
Panko: You can substitute the panko for regular breadcrumbs but again it won’t be as crispy as when you use panko
Storage and reheating:
Store any leftover chicken in your fridge for up to 3 days. When you are ready to eat it, heat it up in the microwave, or reheat it in your oven or air fryer if you prefer it to retain more of its crispiness.
Ultimate Chicken Parmigiana (just like Mario’s)
Equipment
- 1 non-stick pan
- 1 cutting board
- 1 knife
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 shallow bowl
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breasts
- 2 tsps salt (suggested amount)
- 2 tsps garlic powder
- 4 tbsp mayo
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (optional)
- olive oil
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut the chicken in half (or butterfly it) and pat it with paper towels.
- Season each breast with salt and garlic powder on both sides.
- Spread a thin layer of mayo on both sides of the chicken.
- Pour the Panko bread crumbs into a shallow bowl. Coat each chicken breast in Panko bread crumbs. Make sure to press the chicken into the bread crumbs to coat it completely.
- Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil and pan-fry until golden brown. There is no need to cook the chicken all the way through—just make the Panko crumbs golden.
- Transfer the chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet. Don’t skip the foil! It’s great not having things stuck to the baking sheet. Trust me!
- Spoon the marinara sauce over the chicken, then add the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese.
- Bake it in the oven until the cheese melts and turns golden brown and until the chicken is cooked through (about 10 minutes).
Notes
FAQ:
Make sure the chicken is dry before breading it. Excess moisture is not your friend. Press the chicken into the breading to help it stick to all areas. Use a nonstick frying pan so that the coating doesn’t get stuck. Lift the chicken off with a spatula gently.
Cook it for longer. Use a meat thermometer to check.
If your chicken is still undercooked, cook it for longer. If your chicken is done already but the cheese still hasn’t melted, you can increase the oven temperature or turn the broil on until it melts and browns. Keep an eye on it and keep checking!
Did you make the recipe? Don’t forget to share it with me. I would love to see it! Don’t forget to follow tasty recollections on social media!
Until next time,
Claudia
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