We are officially entering the season of cozy foods and to me that means more soups, pastas, and stick to your bones kinds of recipes will start to be made in my kitchen and probably in yours too. Skillet meals are something I try to cook a lot of because it always means less clean up for me and honestly, even though I love cooking, I absolutely dread the dishes afterwards. So anytime I can use less dishes to make a meal, then I am all for it. That’s why I decided to create this recipe for easy skillet chicken parmesan that would be a one pan deal that’s easy enough to make on any night of the week.
Traditionally chicken parmesan uses several pots and pans by the time dinner is done and you end up with a sink full of dirty dishes afterwards. I condensed that same idea into a simple recipe that uses one skillet to brown the chicken and to finish baking it in the oven. The only equipment required here is an oven safe skillet. But don’t worry if you don’t have an oven safe skillet, you can simply transfer the chicken to a baking dish, no problem. I would highly recommend investing in a good cast iron skillet if you don’t already have one. They are so such a versatile item to have in your kitchen with so many options for cooking and I use mine almost on a daily basis.
I like to use chicken cutlets instead of the full size chicken breasts for this skillet chicken parmesan because they cook much more evenly and also much quicker, making them ideal for weeknight cooking. I dredge chicken cutlets in a flour, egg, and bread crumbs and then brown them lightly in a little oil before topping with marinara, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese and finishing off in the oven. I also make things simple by using my favorite store bought marinara, but you could also make a homemade version and pack in some extra veggies if you preferred. I personally like to take a little help where I can get it, especially for weeknight cooking.
Serve the chicken alongside some noodles, zucchini noodles, some roasted veggies, or even just with a big green salad and dinner is done in under an hour from start to finish. My family loves this recipe and it’s one of our favorite weeknight dinners. My son, who is almost five said “Mommy, I am so into this” as he shoveled a full serving into his mouth and requested it for lunch the next day if that tells you anything!
This easy skillet chicken parmesan is perfect for the whole family to enjoy and you will love making it over and over again.
Ingredients:
4-6 Chicken Breast Cutlets (or you can use breasts and pound them out slightly to make them thinner.)
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
3 Eggs
2 Cups Seasoned Bread Crumbs or Panko Bread Crumbs
2 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Black Pepper
2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella
1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan
1 Jar Marinara Sauce (whatever your favorite is, or you can make homemade)
Fresh Basil for Topping
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Season both sides of the chicken with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper evenly on both sides on all of the chicken cutlets.
Add flour to a large plate.
Beat eggs in a large, wide mouth bowl that can fit chicken cutlets.
Add bread crumbs to another large plate.
Season the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs with the remaining salt and pepper evenly between the three, and stir to combine. This ensures every layer is seasoned.
Heat a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil.
When the pan is hot enough add chicken cutlets and brown on each side for 2-3 minutes until a nice crust forms. (I test this by using the end of a wooden spoon and placing it in the oil, if it bubbles, then the pan is hot enough. You can also add a bit of bread crumbs and see if they bubble to test as well.)
Remove the cutlets from the pan, wipe out any bits left in the pan and add 1/2 of the marinara sauce to the bottom of the pan.
Place cutlets back into the pan onto the sauce and then add a few spoonfuls of the remaining marinara on top of each cutlet.
Sprinkle with a good amount of mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top of each chicken cutlet and bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and chicken is cooked though.
Serve with noodles, sprinkle with fresh basil, and serve immediately.
Note: To make this dish lighter, simple skip the breading and pan fry the chicken without the breading.
I suddenly have a craving for chicken parmesan, how about you? I can promise that this recipe will be a crowd pleaser every single time! Happy cooking!
