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Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Published: · Modified: by 27 Comments

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Chicken Parmesan is one of my all-time favourite Italian meals. I love the real thing. I really, really love it. Honestly, if an Italian chef would come to my house and make it once a week I would be in for that. But then I would also need a personal trainer to get my butt moving so that I could work off all the (delicious, worth every bite) calories. Clearly, my in-house chef is not a very realistic option, so I decided to come up with a quick and easy, one-skillet version of my favourite Italian recipe.

A pan of baked chicken covered in tomato sauce and cheese.

Quick & Easy Classic Chicken Parmesan

The real Chicken Parmesan, called Parmigiana, is an amazingly delicious dish with a somewhat complicated prep process that requires us to first bread, and then brown the chicken before transferring to a baking dish to cook in a lovely tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. Now, if you have the time -- go for it! I have re-created this classic Italian recipe on more than one occasion in my own kitchen, and it's totally manageable. There really is nothing like a perfectly cooked chicken Parmesan.

However, like we've realized, I personally need a quick and easy at-home version that I can throw together whenever my craving hits on a random weeknight. So, I have re-created this classic Italian recipe and turned it into a quick and easy one pan, weekday dinner. And guess what? It still gave me the delicious satisfaction of a chicken Parmigiana!

This easy chicken Parmesan recipe comes together quickly in just one skillet -- no muss or fuss. You get the rich and cheesy taste of chicken Parmesan without the effort, clean up, or calories. What's not to love?

Chicken being served over pasta from a skillet.

Pro Tips for Making This Your Favorite Dish

Lightened Up Chicken Parmesan

This version is a scaled-down chicken Parmesan, all cooked in one skillet. So, I'm taking a few shortcuts. Like, I'm not breading the chicken (bye-bye carbs). You know what though, it's still crazy delicious, and the bonus is, that you can throw it together quickly. I'm also adding fresh spinach to give it some extra nutrient kick.

A Tip for Evenly Cooked Chicken Breasts

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts don't come in even thickness. They are usually very thick in the middle. Because of this uneven shape, the thinner half can end up dry and overcooked. One way to make sure that your chicken breasts cook evenly and more quickly is to pound them so they are all the same thickness. Put them in a zip lock bag on a cutting board, and use the flat end of a meat mallet to pound them all to about a one-inch thickness.

Chicken and pasta on a white plate with a fork on a wooden board.

Here's What You Need to Make this Chicken Parmesan Recipe

    • Three boneless skinless chicken breasts
    • Flour
    • Salt & pepper
    • Olive oil
    • Diced tomatoes
    • No salt added tomato paste
    • Baby spinach leaves
    • Dried basil
    • Dried Oregano
    • Garlic
    • Grated Parmesan cheese

The ingredients to make this recipe.

How to Make Easy Chicken Parmesan, Step By Step

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat with oil.
  3. Season Chicken Breasts with salt & pepper on each side.
  4. Put chicken breasts, laid flat, in a zip lock bag, with air expressed, and zipped up.
  5. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound chicken breasts to an even thickness, starting in the thickest parts and working out.
  6. Pound to about one inch even thickness.
  7. Open ziplock bag and add flour. close up again and shake bag to coat chicken breasts.
  8. In a bowl, whisk together diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and basil.
  9. Transfer chicken breasts to the heated skillet. Sear on each side for 2-3 minutes until crusty and golden on either side. Turn heat off skillet. Distribute spinach leaves over the chicken. Pour tomato mixture over the chicken.
  10. Evenly divide Parmesan cheese over each chicken breast.
  11. Put the skillet in the center of the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, and cheese is melted and golden.
  12. Serve with hot pasta.

A serving of food being dished onto a plate.

Make It a Meal

Pair your chicken Parmesan with steamed broccoli, green beans, or one of my favourite side dish recipes for a perfect healthy dinner.

Want more easy skillet recipes? Try this Sweet Potato Mushroom Skillet, Easy Thai Peach Chicken or this delicious Rosemary Skillet Chicken.

A forkful of food being taken from a plate.

Recipe

A pan of baked chicken on a table

Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

This delicious and easy one-skillet Chicken Parmesan recipe is a lightened up, healthier version of the classic Italian dish. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, enjoy the flavors of Italy right at home!
4.50 from 56 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 248kcal
Author: Colleen Milne

Ingredients

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Pounded to one inch thick
  • ¼ cup flour
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup baby spinach leaves
  • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 5.5 oz can no salt added tomato paste
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound chicken breasts to an even thickness, starting in the thickest parts and working out. Pound to about a one inch even thickness
  • Season Chicken Breasts with salt & pepper on each side.
    Raw chicken seasoned with salt and pepper.
  • Put chicken breasts, laid flat, in a zip lock bag, with air expressed, and zipped up.
  • Open ziplock bag and add flour. close up again and shake bag to coat chicken breasts.
    Chicken breasts coated in flour.
  • In a bowl, whisk together diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, oregano and basil
    Tomato sauce ingredients in a glass bowl being whisked together.
  • Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat with oil
  • Transfer chicken breasts to the heated skillet. Sear on each side for 2-3 minutes until crusty and golden on either side. Remove skillet from heat. Distribute spinach leaves over the chicken.
    Three chicken breasts being seared in a cast iron skillet.
  • Pour tomato mixture over the chicken.
  • Evenly divide Parmesan cheese over each chicken breast.
    Chicken parmesan in a cast iron skillet covered in cheese.
  • Put the skillet in the center of the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, and cheese is melted and golden.
    A pan of baked chicken covered in tomato sauce and cheese.
  • Serve with hot pasta

Notes

This recipe is gluten-free if you substitute an equal amount of gluten-free flour blend or cornstarch for the all-purpose flour. Serve with gluten-free pasta.
If you're really short on time, you can use jarred pasta sauce instead of making your own. 
If you don't have an oven-proof skillet, you can transfer the browned chicken to a baking dish and continue with the recipe instructions.

Nutrition

Serving: 4oz | Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 785mg | Potassium: 915mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1265IU | Vitamin C: 21.8mg | Calcium: 263mg | Iron: 3.7mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Robert Matthews

    I read the instructions but, for the spinach leaves, it doesn't say to leave them whole or chop them up. Any guidance?

    Reply

    • Colleen

      Hi Robert, I use baby spinach, so I leave them whole. If you have larger mature spinach, you would want to chop them. Enjoy this recipe, it's a favorite!

      Reply

      • Robert Matthews

        Thank you very much. Looking for something different for today.

      • Colleen

        You're welcome, Robert!

  2. Neisha

    Oh Yum! This was so delicious and super easy!!! The only change I made was to replace oregano with my homemade Italian Seasoning.

    Reply

    • Colleen

      Hi Neisha! I'm super happy that you enjoyed this recipe! It's a favourite for us, and I think the Italian Seasoning would make it even better. Thanks so much for your comment!

      Reply

  3. Jennifer

    I am getting ready to make this and don’t see in the recipe where to add the garlic and other spices. Am I missing something?

    Reply

    • Colleen

      Hi Jennifer, my apologies. This recipe was transferred to a new recipe card and something got lost in the translation. I have corrected it now. Thanks for letting me know and I hope you love the recipe!

      Reply

  4. Mary

    When I pound chicken breasts, I use those thick plastic camping cutting boards. They don’t rip, wash easy in dishwasher and no extra plastic waste.

    Reply

    • Colleen

      This is a great idea, Mary. Thanks for sharing this tip!

      Reply

  5. Patti

    This looks so fantastic but how do 3 chicken breasts feed 6 people? Wouldn’t u usually serve one each? Or do we just eat too much around here??

    Reply

    • Colleen

      Hi Patti, we usually find that with the pasta, sauce, and cheese, a 1/2 chicken breast per serving is more than enough for this recipe. However, you are welcome to increase that & nobody is judging ♥ Sending love & delicious-ness!

      Reply

  6. Kerri

    Made this tonight! Amazing. Although I cheated and tossed a jar of our favorite marinara in, rather than the tomato mixture. But it comes together beautifully and the chicken.... so juicy! Thank you for a great idea that is so versatile!

    Reply

    • Colleen

      Kerri, I just love hearing back from people who make my recipes, so I really appreciate you taking the time to do that. So glad that you loved it, and cheating is always allowed, we do it too. Cheers!

      Reply

  7. Holly

    Just made this! It is delicious! I left out the spinach (neither my hubby or myself are big fans), I did use fresh chopped basil. So good and so very easy...and it was first adventure with a cast iron skillet. All went well. Thanks for this recipe - it is definitely a keeper!

    Reply

    • Colleen

      Hi Holly! I'm so glad it turned out well for you, and the fresh basil is a great addition. Hope you are now loving your cast iron skillet. Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know how it went!

      Reply

  8. peter @feed your soul too

    One of my favorite comfort meals. You got great color in your dish and love that you used the cast iron skillet. Makes life easy.

    Reply

    • Colleen

      Thanks Peter! I agree, the cast iron skillet is my favourite for keeping things simple.

      Reply

  9. Sues

    So yummy!! I just made an skillet eggplant parm the other day and was joking that I could eat it for dinner every night. BUT now I think I need to alternate between eggplant and chicken! This looks so awesome and bubbly on top!

    Reply

    • Colleen

      Sues, I need to make eggplant parm! Thank you for the reminder because I have two eggplant in the fridge. (My entire harvest from the garden, haha)

      Reply

  10. Sam | Ahead of Thyme

    Wow, your pictures are making me hungry! This looks delicious and I love how easy it is!

    Reply

    • Colleen

      Thanks Sam! I always love easy dinners 🙂

      Reply

  11. Helene D'Souza

    Yum, I can see why you love chicken parmesan! It looks very promising. So excited to add this to my weeknight meal plan. 🙂

    Reply

    • Colleen

      Thanks Helene! It's such an easy recipe for a weeknight!

      Reply

  12. Elizabeth

    My mouth is watering reading this recipe - why have I never made this before? ! i need to remedy this, asap!

    Reply

  13. Carin Harris

    Oh I am so excited to make this recipe - we love chicken parm! Although I have to hunt down another oven proof skillet first! Thanks!

    Reply

    • Colleen

      Hi Carin! This is a yummy dish, and you can just do it in a baking pan, too, if you don't have an oven proof skillet. It's versatile that way 🙂

      Reply

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