Easy chicken Parm with marinara, mozzarella and a breadcrumb topping — no breading station needed — is broiled in the oven for a healthier version that’s ready in just 15 minutes!
I'm feeling the Mondays hard today.
I was off of work this past week for a family mountain trip and then a few days of staycation with the kiddos. My husband was in California for his cousin's wedding this past weekend, so I even had some nice quiet time to myself at night after the kids were in bed.
So going back to work today, and running the kids around for camps, doesn't sound so appealing.
But the saving grace is that it's my son's 8th birthday today! He is the smartest, cutest, most fun little boy I know, and I just love him to pieces. He's my constant buddy, helper, snuggler, playmate, and source of so much laughter and joy.
Happy birthday cutie!
OK, let's move on to the food.
Today’s recipe for easy chicken Parm is one my entire family loves!
And with two kiddos who seem intent on not liking the same things ever (please tell me I’m not alone in this ), that’s really saying something.
But really, what’s not to love about this dish? We’ve got saucy marinara-topped chicken breasts with melty mozzarella cheese and crunchy breadcrumbs, all served with fresh basil over hot spaghetti noodles.
Can we say YUM?
(And if you love chicken pasta dishes, you must check out this easy chicken carbonara recipe!)
And the big bonus? This easy baked chicken Parm is also so much faster and healthier than the original.
It’s ready in just 15 minutes - and no breading station needed!
We’re taking shortcuts, yes, but we’re not sacrificing flavor.
Instead, we’re just layering on the flavor. The chicken breasts are topped with marinara and broiled until almost cooked through.
Then you add on the mozzarella cheese and return the chicken to the broiler to get it nice and melty.
Finally, you cover the tops of the cheesy chicken breasts with a mixture of breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese and yup. Put it back under the broiler.
Those breadcrumbs get super toasty and browned. (It’s my daughter’s favorite part of this dish!) And they required no effort, so that’s a win in my book.
The last step is to top the chicken with fresh basil and it’s ready to serve!
You are going to love this chicken and especially how easy it is to make any night of the week!
(You can also check out my Google web story for this easy chicken Parm recipe.)
OK, let’s get cooking.
Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make easy chicken Parm. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Notes on making easy chicken Parm:
- Chicken: You want your chicken breasts to be evenly sized. You’re slicing each one in half horizontally to make thin cutlets. This helps it cook quickly and evenly. (See how to butterfly chicken breasts for details - except you’ll be cutting them all the way through.) You could also try using the “perfect portions” style of thin chicken breasts.
- Mozzarella: Fresh mozzarella is especially delicious here, but you could substitute shredded mozzarella in a pinch. You’ll need about 1 cup total - ¼ cup for each breast.
- Breadcrumbs: We use plain breadcrumbs, but you could also make this with Italian style breadcrumbs. Or add some Italian seasoning to the chicken breasts if you’d like.
- Gluten-free: You could also skip the breadcrumbs in this recipe if you want a gluten-free or low-carb chicken Parm.
Super easy and also very adaptable to what you have on hand. Aren’t those the best kind of recipes?!
Here's the step-by-step of this recipe in photos:
Oh, and if you love chicken Parm, stay tuned because I have an Air Fryer version coming up for you soon. (Update: check out the Air Fryer chicken Parm recipe.)
You can sign up for my free e-newsletter to get all of my new recipes delivered straight to your inbox so you never miss a thing. I’ll even send you my free e-cookbook, Healthy Weeknight Dinners, as a thank you!
Alright, let’s talk about serving this up. Cause I’m getting hungry.
Serving ideas for chicken Parm:
- Serving this chicken over spaghetti is classic, and our favorite way to enjoy it.
- We like to add some warmed marinara and extra Parmesan cheese to the hot cooked spaghetti noodles before adding the chicken Parm. It keeps everything nice and saucy.
- Whole wheat noodles are my go-to for a healthier option. You could also use regular pasta of course or even a gluten-free pasta or a bean-based pasta if desired.
- Keeping it low-carb? Use zucchini noodles or serve this chicken with a side salad and call it a day.
- Speaking of veggies, a Caesar or green salad is an easy vegetable side dish to pair with chicken Parm.
- And for those of us not keeping it low-carb (), some crusty bread is a great pairing was well.
Last thing, let’s talk leftovers.
If you have leftover chicken Parm, you can store it in the refrigerator, in a covered container, for up to 4-5 days.
Reheat in the oven on low broil to regain some of the breadcrumb crunch, but be careful not to dry out the chicken. (I often add extra marinara when serving a second time, which helps.)
Next time you need a quick and easy Italian food fix, I hope you give this healthy chicken Parm a try.
I think it’ll be a new favorite.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. Chicken dinners in under 15 minutes is not only do-able, I’ve got a whole category of recipes that fit the bill. Check them out for more inspiration!
Easy Chicken Parm
Ingredients
- 2 medium to large chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to get 4 equally sized thin cutlets
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 cup marinara sauce (plus extra for serving)
- 4 slices fresh mozzarella, ¼ inch thick (see notes)
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
- 12-16 basil leaves, julienned
For serving:
- Hot, cooked spaghetti
Instructions
- Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Season each of the sliced chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place the chicken breasts on the foil-lined tray and top each with ¼ cup marinara sauce.
- Broil for 7-8 minutes, until almost cooked through.
- Add a slice of mozzarella to the top of each chicken breast then return to the broiler for 2 minutes, until the cheese is slightly melted.
- Meanwhile, combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
- Top each chicken breast with the breadcrumb and Parm mixture then broil for a final 2 minutes, until breadcrumbs are browned. Watch closely so they don’t burn.
- Top spaghetti noodles with extra marinara and Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve the chicken Parm over the spaghetti and sprinkle with the fresh basil.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Lesley
Looks delish, easy and I can't wait to try! I'm wondering though, how close to the broiler element should the chicken be? Thank you!
Kathryn Doherty
Great question! Mine is about 3 inches from the broiler. Ovens can vary, so keep an eye on it, but anything around that should work. Hope you enjoy it!
Lesley
Thank you!