Baked Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Marinara
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy
The crispy chicken is so satisfying, along with the molten cheese, sour cream and Parmesan. So on days that I feel like treating myself but don’t feel like going through the whole ordeal of shallow frying, I know where to go to get my fix!
Baked, Healthy and Delicious!
The baked crispy chicken cutlet works makes for a great base recipe for any recipe that requires baked crispy chicken. I generally use the same technique to make my Homemade Panko Chicken Nuggets.
What I love about baking crispy chicken is that it sure is a shortcut to a classic crispy chicken. There’ll be less mess because you won’t have to clean your frying pan afterward! The chicken breasts will still be extremely juicy and full of delicious flavours to pair amazingly well with your spaghetti and marinara sauce for a true restaurant-quality dinner.
Making Baked Chicken Cutlets
Tips for preparing the Chicken Cutlets
If using a large chicken breast (>150 g), cut the chicken into smaller portions by cutting it diagonally in two equal halves. Place the portions in a Ziploc bag or between two plastic wraps and pound thin using a meat tenderizer (about 1/4 inch thickness). This technique is also great for grilled chicken, burgers and schnitzels. You will be surprised with how far a chicken breast can be stretched!
In this recipe, I am using small chicken breasts which do not need to be portioned in half.
Preheat oven to 450 F
Measure out flour, egg and breadcrumb in different plates/large bowls. Season flour with salt and pepper, lightly whisk the egg and sprinkle oregano on the breadcrumbs.
Working with once chicken portion at a time, dredge the chicken in flour, shake off excess. Dip the chicken in the egg and evenly coat both sides. Let excess drip off and coat the chicken in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to press the breadcrumbs on the chicken for an extra crispy chicken.
Place breaded chicken on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Bake on the top-most rack of the oven for 12-15 minutes turning once at the 7 minute mark. In the final minute of cooking, turn on the broiler to lightly roast the breadcrumbs.
Preparing the Baked Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Marinara
While the chicken is baking in the oven, boil water for pasta in a large pot and season generously with salt. Once water starts to boil, add pasta and cook until al dente, 7-8 minutes. With 4 minutes remaining for the pasta, warm up the marinara sauce in a large saucepan or pot, reserving 1/4 Cup for the chicken parmesan.
Toss the pasta with the sauce and keep warm until the chicken finishes cooking.
Once the crust of the chicken is golden brown, take chicken out of the oven. Top the chicken with marinara sauce, sour cream, mozzarella and parmesan directly on the wire rack.
Turn on the broiler and place the baking tray back in the oven on the top-most rack and cook until the cheese is bubbly and a light golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Remove the chicken Parmesan from the oven.
Roll up 3-4 leaves of basil into a cigar and slice to make chiffonade.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese to the spaghetti marinara and mix well. Serve pasta in a bowl or plate and serve with the freshly baked chicken Parmesan with a garnish of basil chiffonade and extra Parmesan cheese.
How to Store the Breaded Chicken Cutlets
You can bread the chicken in advance and store them in the refrigerator to save time at dinner. Tear two pieces of parchment paper and trim to about the size of each cutlet. Place the chicken between the parchment and wrap with plastic wrap.
These breaded cutlets freeze really well too, which makes them ideal for make ahead meals or weeknight dinners. To freeze, Simple place the wrapped up portions in a freezer Ziploc bag and freeze.
Is Baked Chicken Parmesan Healthy?
I’d say that this Baked Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Marinara is healthier than its traditional counterpart because the chicken is baked and not fried. As a result, we’re omitting the oil that is typically used in frying the chicken. We’re also using chicken breasts here, which have a lot of protein and minimal fat.
The colour speaks a thousand words in my opinion - both variations are amazing, just be smart about what you pick. Everything has its time and place, there is no point depriving yourself either.
I’m also using my Classic Italian Marinara Sauce recipe, which has no added sugar or any preservatives that can be found in a jarred sauce.
I’m also using part-skimmed mozzarella cheese to cut on the fat content. You could use whole milk mozzarella cheese if you’re looking for the creaminess. However, I actually always use part-skimmed mozzarella because I find it has better cheese pulls for some reason!
This recipe for crispy chicken is great for the entire family and can be easily adapted into several variations. You can serve it over spaghetti & marinara as I am here, zucchini noodles, or with a side of roasted vegetables. This healthy version of crispy chicken is also kid-friendly - they won’t know the difference!