Baked Chicken Parmesan is a DELISH, healthy alternative to the beloved classic! An easy oven version of the traditional recipe, it offers chicken parm’s signature cheesy, crispy goodness, with a healthy spin and less mess.
When we’re craving a homemade Italian meal, I often turn to quick and easy pasta recipes.
When I was feeling extra fancy, however, this oven-baked chicken Parmesan (also known as chicken parmigiana) is my forever go-to.
The first time I made this easy baked chicken Parmesan recipe, I knew it was an instant keeper.
The Parmesan-crusted chicken is perfectly crispy on the outside and lusciously juicy on the inside, and the cheese topping is hot, bubbly, and every bit as satisfying as it should be.
(Love crispy chicken and cheese? Don’t miss Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu.)
The best part?
Unlike most restaurant versions, which are deep-fried and heavy with greasy breadcrumbs and cheese, my version is baked, has minimal prep, and can be ready in 30 minutes (like my Chicken Piccata).
I’d venture to say that this is the BEST chicken parmesan recipe ever.
Why You’ll Love It
Today’s version is a light, healthy chicken Parmesan that’s easy to make and offers the same comfort and satisfaction as a go-big restaurant meal.
5 Star Review
“I had this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely amazing, so flavorful and delicious! Definitely making this again.”
— Bee —
How to Make Healthy Baked Chicken Parmesan
The funny thing about baked chicken Parmesan is that even though it seems pretty deluxe, it’s actually one of the easiest baked chicken recipes to make (just like Chicken Cacciatore).
Further, now that I have my own perfect version of a crispy, oven-baked chicken Parmesan with panko crust, I actually prefer it.
It’s delicious but not overdone and baked instead of fried.
The panko breadcrumb crust is satisfyingly crisp, without being so thick, you feel like you are eating a slab of breading.
The Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts. Lean and protein-packed boneless, skinless chicken breasts stay tender and juicy underneath the breading.
- Breadcrumbs + Panko. Because baked chicken Parmesan without breading just wouldn’t be right! Like my panko-crusted Chicken Katsu, oven-baked chicken Parmesan with panko is crispy like the fried version, and it’s so much better for you!
- Cheeses. Mozzarella cheese turns melty, gooey, and bubbly on top of the chicken, and the Parmesan helps flavor the breading. (For another cheesy chicken dish, try my Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese.)
- Egg Whites. Making baked chicken parmesan egg white-style is what helps make the breading stick to the chicken breasts. Skipping the yolk further reduces the fat and cholesterol in this healthy recipe. If you prefer, you can use 1 whole egg instead.
- Tomato Sauce. To make the recipe especially weeknight-friendly, I took a shortcut using good-quality store-bought tomato sauce (any marinara sauce you enjoy will work).
- Pasta. Try serving baked chicken Parmesan with a side of whole wheat spaghetti. Roasted Spaghetti Squash or cooked zucchini noodles are also great options if you want to cut a few carbohydrates from your plate.
The Directions
- Split and pound the chicken breasts.
- Whisk the egg whites in one bowl and prepare the breadcrumb mixture in another. Slice the mozzarella into 4 pieces.
- Dredge each of the chicken cutlets into the egg whites, then the bread crumb mixture.
- Bake chicken parmesan at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
- Top the chicken with sauce and mozzarella.
- Return to the oven to melt the cheese. Garnish with additional fresh basil. ENJOY!
Storage Tips
- To Store. This recipe is best enjoyed the day it is baked, but leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days.
- To Reheat. Leftover baked chicken Parmesan can be reheated in a lightly greased pan over medium heat.
Leftover Ideas
Leftover chicken is also good sliced and served at room temperature on top of salads. Try it with this Italian Chopped Salad for a feast!
What to Serve with Chicken Parmesan
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Pie Plate. Pie plates like this white ceramic one (doubles when you need good presentation) or these simple Pyrex ones are my favorite for any recipe that calls for breading in different dishes. (This Baked Fried Chicken is another great recipe that uses them.)
- Baking Sheets. Incredibly useful and essential in my kitchen.
- Whisk. This smaller size won’t splash all over the counter.
Baking Sheets
A kitchen staple for a reason. Use these for roasting veggies, making one pan meals, cookies, and more!
I hope this healthy baked chicken Parm with a crispy crust adds some extra Italian flare to your kitchen.
Add some No Knead Focaccia and olive oil for dipping, and you’ll truly feel like you’re out on the town!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! To Make this recipe in an air fryer, prepare the recipe as directed through Step 3. Lay the breaded chicken breasts in the air fryer basket, spritzing the tops with cooking spray. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes at 400 degrees F. Flip the chicken breasts over and add the cheese and sauce on top. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the chicken is cooked through.
Dry chicken is often overcooked chicken. For best results, invest in a simple instant-read thermometer to check your chicken’s internal temperature as it bakes. Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, but it will continue to cook as it rests, so for this recipe, I remove mine at 160 degrees F.
No. However, you can swap the breadcrumbs in this recipe for a breadcrumb mixture of your favorite gluten-free alternatives.
Sure! No need to split them. The cook time would likely increase since thighs typically take slightly longer to bake. Also, note that the nutrition will change if you opt for thighs since they are not as lean as chicken breasts.
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 12 ounces each
- 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large egg whites
- 4 ounces part-skim mozzarella
- 1/2 cup high-quality jarred tomato sauce plus extra for serving as desired
- Fresh basil thinly sliced or chopped
- Optional for serving: prepared whole wheat spaghetti or zucchini noodles, or just enjoy on its own!
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise, so you have 4 pieces total. Pound each piece to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Set aside.
- In a wide, shallow bowl (a pie dish works well), combine the Italian breadcrumbs, whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic powder, and pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites until lightly foamy. Cut the mozzarella into 4 slices, or grate and divide into four equal portions.
- Arrange your workstation in the following order: pounded chicken, egg whites, breadcrumb mixture, then the baking sheet. Working one at a time, dip each piece of chicken into the egg whites, shaking off any excess, then the breadcrumbs, gently patting the chicken as needed so that the crumbs stick to all sides.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly coat the tops of the chicken with cooking spray. Bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness) and the crumbs are brown, about 15 minutes. (Per the FDA, chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F, but its temperature will continue to rise after it is removed from the oven.)
- Remove from the oven, spoon 2 tablespoons of sauce over each piece of chicken, and top with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 3-5 additional minutes.
- Sprinkle with basil and enjoy immediately, topped with extra sauce as desired.
Notes
- TO STORE: This recipe is best enjoyed the day it is baked, but leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days.
- TO REHEAT: Leftover chicken can be reheated in a lightly greased pan over medium heat.
Nutrition
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Hi – I love all your recipes. I love chicken parm, but every time I make it, the bottom of the chicken does not get crispy when I bake it. Many times it is “soggy”. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Amy! I’m afraid some sogginess is inevitable, but if you’d like to mitigate it, you can try baking the chicken on top of a lightly greased baking rack that you set on top of the rimmed baking sheet. That will elevate the chicken and help crisp the bottom. I hope that helps and that you love the recipe! Thanks for your kind words about my other recipes too :)
Amy/Erin,
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I have one I normally make but will see if this one will replace it. I do bake mine on a rack sitting on the baking sheet. No soggy bottom
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Tim!
I normally cook the chicken on one side. Towards the end flip it over and place your sauce and cheese on the soggy side! Wahla! Learned this from another recipe and it was helpful.
Thanks for sharing your tip, Tawny!
thanks for sharing. why does it take so much longer for me to cook it at the same temperature? or am i just over cooking it? i don’t have a thermometer but the chicken definitely doesn’t look done at only 20 min in when i cut into it.
Hi Hunter, it’s hard to say for sure why cooking times might vary. Everyone’s oven is different! The two things that may be most likely are oven temperature (I use an oven thermometer to make sure my oven is actually at the temp it’s set to) and the thickness of the chicken. If it’s not pounded as thin as mine was, it would probably take longer to cook. I hope that helps!
I don’t pound my chicken, instead I slice mine to half thickness so after 30 minutes in oven it’s done and krispy on outside.
This was soooo good! I made a lower sodium version by only using whole wheat bread crumbs and just added a tablespoon of oregano and basil and a teaspoon of thyme. Also, chose a sauce that didn’t have any added salt.
Thank you!
Rebecca, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the chicken! Thanks so much for taking the time to share this review and your tweaks. :)
Fantastic!!
Thank you so much Sutana!
Hello. Since the recipe states it yields 4 pieces of chicken breasts, I am confused why the ingredients states only 2 chicken breasts. Not sure if I use 4 chicken breasts, will I have to double up the rest of the ingredients. Can you please clarify? Thank you. I appreciate it.
Dolly
Hi Dolly, check out step 1! Each chicken breast gets cut in half to make 4 total pieces, so there’s no need to double up on the other ingredients. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hello! I love the sound of this for the whole family. I don’t think we have Italian breadcrumbs in the supermarket in the UK, so could you possibly describe them please? I have fresh ones I make myself from the crust of whole meal loaves in my freezer, and dried ones in a canister in my cupboard, but I am guessing I should add some Italian dried herbs perhaps?! Thank you.
Hi Louise, Italian bread crumbs are dried and quite fine, and they’re flavored with Italian herbs and spices. I think that’s exactly right that you could add some Italian dried herbs to the dried bread crumbs in your pantry! I’d recommend doing an internet search for homemade Italian bread crumbs to get an idea of what ratios of spices to use. I hope that’s helpful, and I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Do you think I could used chicken tenders and skip the pounding?
Hi Tia, yes, that should work! The tenders will likely take a little less time to cook. I hope you enjoy!
This recipe looks so easy to make and delicious. Could I use the frozen chicken breast for this recipe? Also, I love your videos now! They add a little touch to your blog.
Hazel, thank you so much for your kind words about my blog! I’d recommend thawing the chicken first so that it cooks through properly without getting dried out at the edges before the center is cooked. I hope you enjoy it!
This recipe was fantastic! Very simple and so delicious! Thanks Erin!
Jackie, I’m glad to hear the recipe was a hit! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
This is a new hit for our family for week nite meals! I used chicken thighs, as that is all I buy (not as pretty if using breasts of course), and used the whole eggs instead of whites. I’m lazy. Otherwise, everything else I followed. Thank you for this! YUM!
YAY Andrea, I’m glad the recipe is a hit for you! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful review.
Hi Mary Jo, I’m not sure what you mean by “forward” at the end, but I do have an “Email” button just below the blog post title at the top! If that doesn’t work, are you able to send her an email with the link? The link should be displaying at the top of your internet browser. Here it is also: https://www.wellplated.com/baked-chicken-parmesan/
Hi Erin! Looking forward to trying this. I’ve also been looking for a healthy eggplant parm recipe. Do you think eggplant could be swapped here? Or, do you have any to point me to?
Thanks!
Hi Megan, you could definitely try—I’d suggest salting the eggplant and letting it sit in a colander to drain for 30 minutes before patting it dry and proceeding with the recipe so it doesn’t make the finished dish too juicy/runny. If you’d like a more step-by-step recipe, I bet Skinnytaste would be a good resource, and Gimme Some Oven’s recipe has good reviews!
I’m a new subscriber, and tonight I made this recipe. I almost went with a different one and fried the chicken … wow! Am I glad I didn’t. I made this just as printed and it was fantastic! Thank you. This was every bit as good (and actually better if I’m being honest) as restaurant parm. The chicken and spices flavors come through without being drowned by oil, sauce, etc. Keep them coming!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful review, Dean. I’m so grateful to have you as a reader, and I’m glad to hear the recipe was a hit for you!
This was simply amazing! I’ve tried other “healthy” chicken parm recipes in the past and they are just bleh. This one will be my new go-to. I did end up using a lot more sauce than shown in the pic, and putting it underneath the mozzarella slice. Yum yum yum!
Laurel, I’m happy to hear the recipe was a hit! Thanks so much for giving it a try and taking the time to leave this awesome review!
How do I do the egg whites? Should I just separate the yolk?
Yes, exactly Amanda! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I made it tonight. The chicken turned out so well that i made another batch with eggplant. Eggplant was really good too!
Thanks!
Hooray! Thanks for reporting back. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Just made this for the first time for the family. It was so good and fresh. Everyone in the family loved it which isn’t always the case with a family of 5. Pretty easy to make . Will definitely keep this dish on the permanent weekly menu.
Lisa, I’m glad it was a hit for everyone! Thanks for taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
I had this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely amazing, so flavorful and delicious! Definitely making this again.
My family loved it! Easy…had it on the table in no time!
Janad, I’m so glad to hear this was a winner! Thanks for sharing this review!
Cooked this for my boyfriend who’s favorite food is chicken parmesan. It was a huge hit!! He said it was the best chicken parm he’s ever had. I followed the directions exactly as written, but added more slices of cheese on the top. I also made Erin’s Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes as a side and I felt like I was eating at a restaurant! Had leftovers for lunch and dinner the next day and it tasted just as good as it was when it was fresh.
I’m SO happy to hear how much you and your boyfriend loved both recipes, Marielle! Thank you for taking the time to leave this kind review!
is one of my favorite items. Thank you for sharing this awesome stuff here.These look absolutely delicious! You have amazing food photography too :] As much as I know my girls will love these, I know I will too!
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind comment, Della! I hope you love the recipe!
Very tasty, I made this for my husband and daughter as a special Valentine’s Day dinner and it was a big hit. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you for sharing this kind review, Katie! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
It turned out great! I followed the recipe except I used shredded mozzarella. My kids loved it too. Simple and tasty. I did not have a baking rack but did not find it soggy.
I’m so happy that it was a hit, Delia! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Might be a silly question, but my father is elderly so when I cook for my boyfriend I like to make extras to take over to his house and he normally freezes things until he can get around to eating them. Should I cook and then vacuum seal and freeze or could I possibly bread it all, vacuum seal and freeze so that when he cooks it, it’s more fresh?
Hi Paige! You may want to try this recipe as chicken strips instead. I’ve never done this personally, but from looking at other recipes for freezing breaded chicken online, my best guess is to bake them all the way through before freezing. Then, he can reheat them from frozen. Again, I’ve never tried this, but it’s my best guess. I hope this helps and that you enjoy the recipe!
Made this many times according to Erin’s recipe—a sure winner every time! Looking forward to Erin’s cookbook to be delivered so I’ll be making great dinners each night of the week!
I’m SO happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Alan! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I don’t want to waste the egg yolks. How would leaving the egg yolks in alter the recipe? Would it Make the chicken taste differently?
Hi Debbie! I have only tested the recipe with egg whites, but another reader has reported success with using the entire egg. If you decide to experiment with it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
I used chicken cutlets for this to save time and they turned out perfectly. This was so delicious and easy, I cannot wait to make it again! Definitely a keeper that I would serve to friends!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Janet! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Made this twice and both times it came out great!
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Alicia! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Can I use shredded mozzarella vs. fresh for this recipe? Would I have to cook it differently do you know? Thanks!
Hi Samantha! While I haven’t used shredded Mozzarella in this recipe, another reader has reported success with using it as directed. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!
Just made this for dinner tonight and it was SO good! Very easy to make and my boyfriend loved it too!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Taylor! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This was very easy and good! As I began to prepare it I realized I was out of panko crumbs so subbed cornflake crumbs because it was a fairly small amount. It was fine but Panko would have been better. I also used grated parmesan. Everything crisped up nicely and the time was exact. Was the tomato sauce supposed to be seasoned—spaghetti sauce?
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Theresa! Thank you for sharing this kind review! The tomato sauce can be plain or flavored if you prefer.
So so delicious! I paired with chickpea pasta and my husband didn’t even complain ;)
I’m so happy that it was a hit, Allyson! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
5 stars for a lot of reasons… most importantly, this dish was tremendously popular with all 5 members of my family (3 of who are my 3 picky kids)! This dish was amazing (and so easy to make). The flavors of the breading although simple, were perfect! This will absolutely be a mainstay in our dinner menu. On a side note… thanks for the tip in the video (one wet/one dry hand)! Worked perfectly.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Marc! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Anyone happen to know how many WW points this would be? Thanks!
Hi Tawny! Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with calculating Weight Watchers points, so I’m not sure what this recipe would be. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
my go-to recipe for chicken parm
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Barbara! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Points calculated for this recipe are 9 SO per serving
Thanks for sharing this information, Maria!
Love your recipes. Made Chicken Parm tonight and it was delicious!
Many thanks.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Jacqueline! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Excellent taste, loved the ease of making this recipe and family loved it! Definitely a keeper!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Donna! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Very tasty! This is the first well plated recipe that I have tried and I’m glad I did. Will be trying more recipes in the near future.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, James! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This has been on our regular rotation for several years now. So good, quick and easy!
HI Leah! So glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for this kind review!
Go to chicken parm recipe. I have found that using Rao’s Marinara Sauce really adds a special punch to this dish. I use the rest of the jar to sauce my pasta. I have found that Aldi’s Specially Selected Marinara Sauce is almost the same as Rao’s, but less expensive. Using Fresh Mozzarella is an awesome touch. For the breading – inspired by some Hello Fresh recipes, I’ve taken to brushing the chicken with the egg whites and then just putting the breading on top of the chicken and patting it – less mess overall and it seems to stick well during the baking process.
Hi Katy! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
Was delicious! Even my picky boyfriend liked it so win win. I had it with protein pasta, and it kept me full for so long.
Hi Lindsey! That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for this kind review!
It was a great hit with my family. Would use recipe again for chicken parm
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Ashley! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Pretty simple recipe but I have to say it was the best!!! Nothing fancy or oddball ingredients….simple is best.
Hi Laura! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Great recipe! Cooked chicken at 390 degrees convection. It turned out perfectly crispy and still juicy. Don’t forget to salt to the bread crumb mixture.
Hi Brooke! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Easy to follow directions and it turned out great! I did follow one of the tips in the comments to flip the pieces when I was putting the sauce and mozzarella on top to help the bottom get a little bit of color! Family approved!
Hi Katie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Made this for dinner yesterday and it was delicious — thanks for the great recipe!
Hi JCH! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
What is the sodium content of this recipe? I did not see it in the nutrition information.
Hi Nancy! I stopped including sodium info because it can vary so much depending upon what products you used, and I found a lot of conflicting info online, so ultimately I didn’t feel comfortable publishing it because sometimes it wasn’t even in the ballpark. If you’d like to calculate it yourself, there are lots of free tools online (myfitnesspal.com is popular). I hope that helps!
This is an easy recipe to make, and tastes great! It is also healthier than most Chicken Parmesan recipes. My family loves this, including my son who doesn’t always love eating chicken. Thanks Erin!
Hi Sheryl! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Absolutely loved this recipe!
Thanks for always providing healthier ways of cooking. It was my first attempt at chicken parm and I would not have it any other way. I used Rao’s marinara sauce after reading the comments and thought it was sooo delicious!
Hi SP! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!