The Ultimate Crispy Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

• 4 (about 2 pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
• to taste Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup, for frying Vegetable or canola oil
• 3 cups, divided high-quality marinara sauce
• 8 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
• 1 pound Cooked spaghetti, for serving
• optional Fresh basil or parsley, chopped for garnish

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pat the pounded chicken cutlets dry and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

2. 2

   Set up three shallow dishes for breading. Place the flour in the first. In the second, whisk the eggs with the garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. In the third, combine the panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.

3. 3

   Working one at a time, dredge a chicken cutlet in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip it into the seasoned egg mixture, letting the excess drip off. Finally, press the cutlet into the panko-parmesan mixture, ensuring it is fully coated on both sides.

4. 4

   In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Carefully place two cutlets in the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining two cutlets.

5. 5

   Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange the fried chicken cutlets on top of the sauce in a single layer.

6. 6

   Top each chicken cutlet with about 1/4 cup of the remaining marinara sauce, followed by a generous layer of shredded mozzarella.

7. 7

   Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the chicken is heated through.

8. 8

   Serve the chicken parmesan immediately over a bed of spaghetti topped with the remaining warm marinara sauce. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.