Chicken Parmesan is a delicious Italian dish that bursts with the flavors of summer tomatoes and fresh basil. It’s one of those simple yet timeless dishes that you can grab out of your arsenal of recipes and impress someone with; it’s the little black dress in the back of your closet. The traditional chicken parmesan recipe consists of dredging the breast in first an egg mixture and then a flour mixture and frying the chicken in oil. My recipe is just the quick and easy weeknight chicken parmesan version – still very much a dish that can wow, though. This version uses Italian dressing and breadcrumbs instead of the eggs and flour and baking the chicken in the oven instead of frying (does that mean it’s a little bit healthier?). My favorite aspect of this recipe is the tanginess of the Italian dressing with the meat. It is SO flavorful.
One of the best things about this recipe is that the ingredients are usually already in your kitchen. Marinara sauce? Check. Italian Salad Dressing? Check. Cheese? Check. Also, this easy weeknight chicken parmesan dish is done in thirty minutes – which is why this is such a great meal for those weeknights when you don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen after a long work day.
To make the assembly simple and efficient, lay out two bowls next to your baking dish. Pour the Italian dressing into the first bowl and the breadcrumb mixture into the second bowl. Then it’s just a matter of dipping and dredging and transferring the cutlets into the baking dish. The breadcrumbs will toast nicely in the oven. When you have just ten minutes left on the clock, pop the chicken out and ladle over the marinara sauce and top with cheese. By delaying the marinara until the end, you ensure a crunchy crust on your chicken as opposed to a soggy crust. Key takeaway: soggy breaded chicken is sad chicken.
Sides that pair nicely with chicken parmesan:
a crunchy caesar salad
your favorite pasta
these delicious gorgonzola mashed potatoes
roast veggies (think broccoli, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes...etc.)
I hope you enjoy this recipe and have fun making it. If you end up making it or adding another twist to it – let me know below in the comments. I love it when people get creative in the kitchen. Happy cooking!
Easy Weeknight Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts butterflied to make 4 cutlets
- 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese grated
- 3 tbsp fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F
- Pour the Italian salad dressing into a bowl large enough to dip a chicken cutlet into. Into another bowl, add in the breadcrumbs, oregano, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix the breadcrumb mixture with a fork to evenly blend.
- Working with one cutlet at a time, first dip them in the Italian salad dressing. Let the excess dressing drip off before you put it in the breadcrumb mixture. Flip the cutlet over to coat both sides – make sure it is completely coated with breadcrumbs.
- Place the cutlet in the baking dish. Repeat step 3 for each cutlet.
- Place the breaded chicken in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Take out the chicken and spoon marinara sauce over the chicken. Top with the shredded mozzarella cheese and place the chicken back in the oven.
- Bake the chicken for about 10 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165°F. Top with some fresh basil and enjoy!
