Breaded chicken breast, pan fried then topped with pasta sauce and cheese then baked. Trust me it will be a hit with the kids!
Excuse the messiness on the plate. All is forgiven tho because this kind of messiness I can take. This yummy crispy on the outside with a tangy sauce and melted cheese on top kind of messiness – I don’t mind.
Chicken Parmigiana – is not something I used to make until now. Simply put, firstly you have to bread the chicken breast (some recipes have you pound out the pieces too so as to flatten them) – then dip in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs then pan fry. Then some recipes have you MAKE the sauce from scratch, top on the chicken then put the cheese then bake – I mean COME ON!
So while the gist of the recipe remains the same, I make some short cuts and arrive at the same yummylicious destination that works for us. Firstly I halve the chicken breast lengthwise (and skip the pounding) – so with two chicken breasts I have 4 pieces.
I also skip the flour and dip in only egg and breadcrumbs and pan fried. It still turns out nice and crispy outside. Tip: Be sure to press on the breadcrumbs onto the chicken pieces well.
And of course I use store bought pasta sauce. Here I’m using Alce Nero’s Verdure (organic vegetable) sauce which (my first time using) went very well and is my go-to sauce for this now.
I only pan fry the pieces for a few minutes on each side (they will continue to cook in the oven later). Take an oven-proof baking dish and spread some of the sauce on the dish, place chicken pieces on top and top with remaining sauce.
I top with both mozzarella and parmesan cheese. For greens, I’ve just torn up some basil leaves and placed on top. You could replace the basil with your favourite herbs or some parsley.
I put this in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese has melted and bubbling. I served this with a pasta salad, but you could serve it with rice or mashed potatoes and green salad!
We really enjoyed it and I hope to make this again. You could try store bought marinara sauces too. Don’t skimp on the sauce and cheese! It really is what brings this dish together.
This recipe was developed for Makchic‘s The Busy Family’s Guide to Stress-Free Meal Prep.
Check out more kid friendly recipes here.
Good luck!
Did you try this recipe?
Please do let me know if you've tried it, by leaving a comment or tagging me on IG @thesuddencook.
Chicken Parmesan (Parmigiana)
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts Sliced in half lengthwise and seasoned with salt and pepper
- 1 350g jar pasta sauce I've used Alce Nero's Verdure sauce.
- Shredded parmesan and mozzarella cheese
- Handful torn basil leaves
For the chicken breading:
- 1 egg beaten Use a shallow bowl
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs Place in a separate shallow bowl
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven at 200C.
- Dip the chicken breast piece by piece in the egg. Shaking off excess. Then dip into breadcrumbs. Pat breadcrumbs firmly onto the pieces. Shallow fry for only about 2-3 mins per side. Once all done, remove and set aside. Let drain on paper towel.
- In an oven proof dish, spread some pasta sauce on the base of the dish. Place chicken pieces on top and top with remaining sauce. Add cheese followed by basil (or herbs of your choice) on top of each piece.
- Pop into pre-heated oven and bake for 10-15mins or until cheese has melted and is golden and chicken is cooked through. Done!
Notes
- Be sure chicken breast pieces are not too thick. I usually halve them.
- You could use marinara pasta sauces as a good option too.
- You could serve this with a pasta salad, rice, mashed potatoes, a green salad etc.
- Be sure to press on the breadcrumbs onto the chicken breast when breading.
You can never go wrong with chicken parmesan! This was a hit!
Yay! Yes I agree with all that sauce and cheese:)
This chicken Parmesan was so easy to make. I loved that I could use a jar pasta sauce and the addition of fresh basil was just perfect. Everyone loved it!
Great to hear Emily!
Always enjoy chicken parmesan. Thank you for the tip about the store-bought. Makes it easier on a busy school night.
Yes it does:)