DinnerCountChicken Parmesan
The one everyone orders out, made at home. Chicken breasts are cut into thin cutlets, pounded even, pressed into panko and parmesan, browned in a skillet, then baked under marinara and mozzarella while the spaghetti cooks. Pounding is the step that matters, because an even cutlet cooks through before the crust burns.
45 minServes 4 as writtenOvenItalianContains Milk, Eggs, Wheat
Ingredients — serves 4
- Chicken breasts1½ lb
- Egg2 each
- Panko1 cup
- Parmesan cheese½ cup
- Marinara sauce (jar)1 jar (24 oz)
- Mozzarella shredded1 cup
- Italian seasoning1 tsp
- Olive oil2 tbsp
- Spaghetti pasta1 lb
How much to make for 2, 4, 6 or 8
| Ingredient | For 2 | For 4 | For 6 | For 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breasts | ¾ lb | 1½ lb | 2¼ lb | 3 lb |
| Egg | 1 each | 2 each | 3 each | 4 each |
| Panko | ½ cup | 1 cup | 1½ cups | 2 cups |
| Parmesan cheese | ¼ cup | ½ cup | ¾ cup | 1 cup |
| Marinara sauce (jar) | ½ jar (24 oz) | 1 jar (24 oz) | 1½ jars (24 oz) | 2 jars (24 oz) |
| Mozzarella shredded | ½ cup | 1 cup | 1½ cups | 2 cups |
| Italian seasoning | ½ tsp | 1 tsp | 1½ tsp | 2 tsp |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 3 tbsp | ¼ cup |
| Spaghetti pasta | ½ lb | 1 lb | 1½ lb | 2 lb |
| The pan | Written for 4 adult-size portions; you are cooking for about 2 — roughly 0.5× the recipe. Fewer pieces — the same 12-inch skillet, spaced out, and the same time. | — | Written for 4 adult-size portions; you are cooking for about 6 — roughly 1.5× the recipe. This calls for a 12-inch skillet. At about 1.5× the recipe that’s three rounds in the skillet instead of two — or two skillets at once; the time per round is the same. Keep the early rounds warm in a low oven. | Written for 4 adult-size portions; you are cooking for about 8 — roughly 2× the recipe. This calls for a 12-inch skillet. At about 2× the recipe that’s four rounds in the skillet instead of two — or two skillets at once; the time per round is the same. Keep the early rounds warm in a low oven. |
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Steps
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut each chicken breast in half sideways to make thin cutlets, then pound them to an even ½ inch between two pieces of plastic wrap — even is the whole game; thick middles stay raw while thin edges dry out.
- Beat the eggs in one shallow dish. In another, mix the panko with the Parmesan and the Italian seasoning. Dip each cutlet in the egg, then press it into the crumbs on both sides so the coating stays put.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about a minute, until hot but not smoking. Cook the cutlets in two batches for 3 minutes a side. Check that the coating is golden — they finish cooking in the oven, so color is the goal here. Move them to a sheet pan.
- Spoon the marinara over each cutlet and top with a big handful of the mozzarella. Bake for about 15 minutes. Check that the cheese has melted and browned in spots and the chicken reads 165°F on a thermometer.
- While they bake, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water for the time on the package. Check that it is tender, then drain. Serve the cutlets over the spaghetti with any extra sauce from the pan.
Good to know
- Contains Milk, Eggs, Wheat — from the ingredient names, so not a complete list. It cannot see inside a jar, a mix or a sauce, and formulas change. For an allergy or intolerance, read the package every time — never decide from this line.
- 🌡 Chicken — cook to 165°F at the thickest part , the USDA minimum for poultry. A thermometer is the test; color is not.