Easy Parmesan Chicken Bake

Parmesan Chicken Bake

Diana Rattray

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4 servings

There’s more than one good reason to bake chicken breasts instead of frying them on the stovetop. It uses less fat, the chicken cooks more evenly, and it’s mostly a hands-off preparation, which is perfect on a busy weeknight. Also, unlike a classic breading, this recipe is egg-free. Dipping the chicken is dipped in melted butter makes the coating stick even without egg. 

This easy Parmesan and herb-coated chicken makes a great everyday meal the family will love. You can serve them as is with vegetables and potatoes or rice. Or you can add a marinara sauce and melt some Mozzarella cheese over the chicken and serve it with spaghetti. The chicken cutlets are also great to add to a dinner salad, warm or at room temperature, or as a filling for a chicken sandwich. 

To cook fast and evenly, the chicken breasts should be thin and flat. If you don’t have a meat mallet, or you want to make it easy on yourself, buy thinly sliced chicken cutlets from chicken breast. 

You can adapt the seasoning of the coating to your taste. Instead of dried basil and parsley, try Herbes de Provence or another dried herb mix. Or, for a hint of spice, you can even add a little Creole seasoning, which also contains dried herbs. Or you can skip the dried herbs altogether and use already seasoned Italian-style breadcrumbs. 

Choosing another cheese is another way of varying this recipe. Instead of Parmesan cheese, use another grated hard cheese such as Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for two to three days.

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless chicken breasts

  • 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

  • 1 cup dry breadcrumbs

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil

  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Lightly grease a shallow baking dish. Preheat oven to 375 F.

  3. Put chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and pound lightly to thin and then flatten to an even thickness. Dip chicken pieces in melted butter; sprinkle both sides of chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

  4. Combine remaining ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times, until Parmesan cheese is broken into smaller pieces but still has texture.

  5. Pour out onto a sheet of waxed paper or plate.

  6. Coat the chicken pieces with the breadcrumb mixture and place in the prepared baking dish.

  7. Bake the chicken for about 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through, turning once about halfway through cooking time. If chicken is pounded quite thin, check for doneness at about 20 minutes.

  8. Serve and enjoy.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
437 Calories
18g Fat
22g Carbs
45g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 437
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 136mg 45%
Sodium 514mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 22g 8%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 45g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 185mg 14%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 403mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)