Chicken Parmesan over Spaghetti

There's something about the sizzle of chicken hitting hot oil that still takes me back to Sunday dinners at my aunt's place, where this dish was less of a recipe and more of a rite of passage. She'd stand at the stove with her wooden spoon, watching that golden crust form with the kind of attention most people reserve for their phones. The first time I made it myself, I burned the edges and nearly forgot the pasta entirely, but somehow it still tasted like home. Now, whenever I make Chicken Parmesan, it feels like I'm cooking alongside her, even though she's been gone for years.

I made this for my partner during our first year together, back when I was still trying to impress and he was still pretending my cooking was always this good. He ate three plates and told me it was better than the Italian restaurant down the street, which I now know he was lying about, but I didn't care—the lie tasted like love.

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4): Pound them thin so they cook evenly and soak up all that breaded goodness without drying out in the oven.
• All-purpose flour (1 cup): This is your first line of defense against soggy chicken; it helps everything stick together in the egg mixture.
• Large eggs (2) and milk (2 tablespoons): The glue that holds your breading in place; don't skip the milk, it keeps the mixture silky.
• Italian-style breadcrumbs (1 1/2 cups): Look for panko if you can find it, the bigger flakes stay crunchier longer.
• Grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup for breading, 1/2 cup for topping): Real Parmesan makes a difference here, the pre-grated stuff is fine but fresh is better.
• Garlic powder and dried oregano (1 teaspoon each): These go in the breading mixture and they're what make people ask if you're secretly Italian.
• Olive oil (1/3 cup for frying): Don't use the fancy stuff for frying; save that for drizzling at the end if you want.
• Shredded mozzarella and extra Parmesan (1 1/2 cups and 1/2 cup): This is where the magic happens, all melty and bubbly in the oven.
• Crushed tomatoes (28 oz can): San Marzano is worth the splurge if your budget allows, but any good quality crushed tomatoes will work.
• Garlic and onion for the sauce (4 cloves and 1 small onion): Fresh garlic really matters here, so don't reach for the jar.
• Dried basil and oregano (1 teaspoon each): Fresh basil goes on at the end, these dried herbs build the foundation.
• Spaghetti (12 oz): Fresh pasta is lovely if you have it, but dried works just as well and actually holds up better to the sauce.
• Fresh basil for garnish: This is optional but it's the difference between good and restaurant-quality looking.

Instructions

Get your oven ready and set up your breading station:

Preheat to 400°F while you line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This is your golden ticket to easy cleanup. Grab three shallow bowls and set them up in a line: flour, then egg mixture, then breadcrumb mixture—it should feel like an assembly line.

Pound that chicken thin:

Place each breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound it to about 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan. This step is non-negotiable; even thickness means even cooking.

Mix your breading like you mean it:

In the third bowl, combine breadcrumbs with 1/2 cup Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Really work these together with your fingers so the seasonings are evenly distributed.

Bread each chicken breast with focus:

Coat in flour first, shaking off the excess, then dip in the egg mixture until fully coated, then press into the breadcrumb mixture, making sure every inch gets covered. This is where patience pays off.

Get that golden crust:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. You'll know it's ready when a breadcrumb sizzles immediately upon contact. Fry chicken 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown, then transfer to your baking sheet.

Build the layers:

Top each chicken breast with a spoonful of marinara sauce, then a handful of mozzarella and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Don't be shy with the cheese.

Let the oven do its magic:

Bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the chicken registers 165°F on a meat thermometer. Your kitchen will smell incredible.

Make the marinara while chicken cooks:

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté minced garlic and chopped onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper, then let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally—this is when you taste it and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Cook your pasta properly:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package directions until it's al dente, with just a little bite to it. Drain well but don't rinse it.

Plate it like you're proud:

Divide spaghetti among plates, spoon marinara sauce over it, nestle a chicken breast on top, and garnish with fresh basil and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately while everything's still hot.

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My sister brought her new boyfriend over once and I made this, and he proposed to her six months later. I'm not saying the Chicken Parmesan deserves the credit, but I'm also not not saying it.

The Art of the Breading

The breading is what separates this from just baked chicken with cheese on top, and it's worth doing right. When you're dredging each piece, you're creating layers—flour first sticks to the chicken's moisture, egg seals everything together, and breadcrumbs create that textured shell that stays crispy even after the cheese melts. The key is committing fully to each stage; don't rush through the egg dip or you'll end up with patches of bare chicken showing through. Work methodically and you'll get that satisfying crunch every single time.

Timing Everything Together

The beautiful part about this recipe is that it's designed to come together without stress. While the chicken fries and bakes, your sauce has time to build flavor on the stove, and your pasta water comes to a boil on another burner. Start your pasta water first, then your sauce, then fry the chicken—by the time the chicken goes in the oven, everything else is humming along. The chicken needs 15 minutes to bake, which is almost exactly how long your sauce needs to simmer, so you rarely find yourself standing around waiting or rushing to finish something. It's orchestrated chaos in the best way.

Cheese Choices and Variations

Here's where people get creative, and honestly, that's the spirit of this dish. The combination of mozzarella and Parmesan gives you that stretch and that sharp flavor, but some people swear by mixing in a little provolone or mixing in fresh ricotta for extra richness. If you're making this lighter, skip the pan-frying entirely and bread the chicken, place it on parchment paper, spray it with cooking oil, and bake it from the start—you lose some of that golden crust but you gain back the virtue of fewer calories. For a gluten-free version, swap the flour and breadcrumbs for their gluten-free counterparts and absolutely nobody will notice the difference.

• Fresh basil at the very end tastes nothing like dried basil, so if you have it, use it.
• A splash of good balsamic vinegar in the sauce at the end adds depth that people can't quite put their finger on.
• Leftovers are brilliant cold the next day, believe it or not, though they reheat beautifully in a 350°F oven for about ten minutes.

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This is the kind of dish that sticks around in your rotation because it delivers comfort without pretense. Make it once and it becomes the thing people ask you to bring to potlucks.

Frequently asked questions about this recipe

→ Can I bake the chicken instead of frying?

Yes, place breaded chicken on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked through, then add sauce and cheese.

→ How do I store leftovers?

Store cooled chicken and pasta separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

→ Can I use store-bought marinara?

Absolutely, use your favorite jarred marinara sauce to save time, just heat it up before serving over the chicken and pasta.

→ What pasta works best?

Spaghetti is traditional, but linguine, fettuccine, or even penne pairs well with the thick marinara sauce and breaded chicken.

→ How do I know when the chicken is done?

The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C) when measured with a meat thermometer, and the juices should run clear.