In our house, Chicken Parmesan is one of the cool kids. Everybody wants to hang out with Chicken Parmesan and no one is ever disappointed when it’s on the menu. For as incredibly delicious of a meal as it is, it is super simple and quick. This recipe for Chicken Parmesan is even served with a homemade spicy marinara AND is still on the dinner table in about a half hour.

I know that some of you may be thinking about replacing the marinara with a jar of store-bought marinara, but I urge you to please give this one a try. Homemade marinara is so easy to make and it is so much better than one from a jar. Plus isn’t making something from scratch totally satisfying? If you don’t want the spice in your marinara, you can absolutely adjust it (see the notes below in the step by step pictures).

I have been making this recipe for years. Tweaking it for years. And, behold, this is the final product. Every now and again, I venture out and try someone else’s recipe for Chicken Parmesan, but I always find my way back to this one. It’s so darn good.

So let me show you how I made this delicious Chicken Parmesan with Spicy Marinara 👇🏻

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper and set aside.

Start with the spicy marinara. In a medium-sized sauce pot, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, a 15 oz can of tomato sauce, 2 tbsp of sugar, 2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like it extra spicy), 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tbsp dried parsley, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp of black pepper. Stir to combine.

Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium low so that the marinara is at a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and stir occasionally while you are preparing the chicken.

Now begin the chicken portion.

In a shallow bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 1 tbsp of water. In a second shallow bowl, stir together 2 cups of Panko breadcrumbs, 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese, and 2 tbsp of dried parsley.

Dip the halved, thinly pounded chicken breasts into the eggs and then dredge into the cheese-breadcrumb mix. Firmly press the chicken down into the breadcrumbs so that they are well coated and then place on a plate.

In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of unsalted butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil. When the butter has melted, add half of your chicken breasts. Let them cook, undisturbed, for 3-5 minutes until the chicken is crispy and golden.

Flip the chicken and cook on the other side for another 2-4 minutes. Remove the cooked breasts to the prepared baking sheet. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of oil to the skillet and cook the second half of the chicken the same as before.

Ladle a scoop of the spicy marinara onto a portion of the cutlet. You don’t want to slather the marinara across the entire breast because you don’t want it to lose it’s crispness.

Then top each cutlet with 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, until everything is hot and the cheese is completely melted.

Top the chicken with chopped fresh parsley or basil. Serve alongside pasta (using some of that spicy marinara to top it with) or vegetables.

Here’s a closer look at all of that yumminess 👇🏻

Enjoy!!

These are the recommended products that I used to make this delicious recipe! These are not only products that I use, but products that I love.

Chicken Parmesan with Spicy Marinara

A delightfully thin and crispy breaded chicken breast, topped with a spicy homemade marinara and melted mozzarella cheese. Delicious and easy. Your whole family will love it!

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Servings 4 Servings

Author Maggie @ Cupcakes and Sarcasm

Ingredients

For the Spicy Marinara

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Sweet Onion, finely chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
28 Oz Canned Crushed Tomatoes
15 Oz Canned Tomato Sauce
2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
2 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (Add more for extra spice, if desired)
2 Tsp Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp Dried Parsley Flakes
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper

For the Chicken-

2 Large Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, halved and pounded thinly
2 Large Eggs + 1 Tbsp Water
2 Cups Panko Bread Crumbs
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
2 Tbsp Dried Parsley Flakes

Other-

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Fresh Chopped Parsley or Basil, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
Start by making the spicy marinara. In a medium sauce pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Next add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir and then bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and leave it at a low simmer while you prepare the chicken. Stir the marinara occasionally.
In one shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and water together. In a second shallow bowl, combine the Panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and dried parsley.
Dip the halved, and thinly pounded chicken breasts into the eggs and then dredge into the cheese-breadcrumb mixture. Press the chicken down firmly into the breadcrumbs so that the chicken is well coated and then place on a plate.
In a large skillet, add 1 tbsp of the butter and 1 tbsp of the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, add 2 of the chicken breasts. Let them cook for about 3-5 minutes before flipping. You want the chicken to have a nice golden crust. Flip them and then cook for another 2-4 minutes on the other side.
Place the cooked chicken breasts on the prepared sheet pan. Add the remaining butter and olive oil to the skillet and cook the remaining chicken breasts the same as the first half.
Once all of the chicken is cooked and on the sheet pan, ladle a healthy scoop of the marinara partially across the chicken. Top each cutlet with 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese is completely melted.
Top the chicken with chopped fresh parsley or basil. Serve alongside pasta (use the extra marinara to top) or vegetables. Enjoy!

Have you tried this recipe? Thinking about it? I’d love to hear from you! Please leave me your thoughts below in the comment section.

Name: Chicken Parmesan with Spicy Marinara
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp Olive Oil; 1 Sweet Onion, finely chopped; 4 Garlic Cloves, finely minced; 28 Oz Canned Crushed Tomatoes; 15 Oz Canned Tomato Sauce; 2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar; 2 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes ((Add more for extra spice, if desired)); 2 Tsp Italian Seasoning; 1 Tbsp Dried Parsley Flakes; 1 Tsp Salt; 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper; 2 Large Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, halved and pounded thinly; 2 Large Eggs (+ 1 Tbsp Water); 2 Cups Panko Bread Crumbs; 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated; 2 Tbsp Dried Parsley Flakes; 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter; 2 Tbsp Olive Oil; 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded; Fresh Chopped Parsley or Basil, for garnish (optional)