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Chicken parmesan is one of the most classic and most requested of all Italian dishes. But, it can take a long time to make, what with all the pounding, breading, frying, and then baking that the traditional recipe requires.
This lazy recipe cuts down on the prep time while delivering that classic flavor that you’d expect from chicken parmesan. But this is the lazy version so we’re calling it “chicken parm” for short!
This is by far the easiest way to get that signature flavor in the least amount of time possible.
You start out with some chicken breasts and cook them in a skillet until they’re lightly browned, covering them with Italian spices. Then pour some tomato sauce over the tops and sprinkle some of the magic topping over them. This is a blend of parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. So instead of coating the chicken we’re making a crust layer on top.
You might not think that this would make a great crust, but it’s a lot like the original- but with less work.
After that you put some sliced mozzarella on top. Then you bake the whole pan until the cheese is melted and browned and the chicken is cooked through.
The final steps are to top with some fresh basil and to place your chicken on a bed of prepared pasta. It’s the simplest and fastest way to get your chicken parm fix and it only takes about half an hour to get this fabulous dinner on the table.
Lazy Chicken Parm
Yield(s): Serves 4
15m prep time
18m cook time
788 calories
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 12 oz dry pasta of your choice, prepared to al dente
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus extra for garnish
- 2 large chicken breasts, butterflied ( or 4 small breasts totaling 1 1/2 lbs)
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, for garnish
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 475˚F. In small bowl combine thyme, rosemary, oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. In another bowl combine bread crumbs with parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sauté chicken breasts for 3 minutes on each side. Add some spice mix to each side of chicken in the pan.
- Pour in marinara sauce and spoon some over chicken. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over each piece of chicken and top with mozzarella. Bake for 8-12 minutes until cheese is melted and chicken has reached an internal temperature of at least 165˚F.
- Serve chicken over pasta. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle more parmesan and basil leaves on top.
Recipe adapted from From Valerie’s Kitchen.