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This oven baked Parmesan crusted chicken recipe features tender, butterflied chicken breaded in nutty Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. It’s crispy without the need for any frying!

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with herbs on a tray.

I’ve always been obsessed with crispy fried chicken — it’s one of those meals my kids get excited about every single time. However, I am not a fan of the splattering of oil from frying and standing over the stove, and I definitely don’t need the extra grease!

Instead, this oven baked chicken gives me the crispy crust and a satisfying protein without the mess. It’s super easy and it still hits that same craving. The Parmesan gives it that extra flavor and crunch, and honestly, no one misses the frying.

Hot tip: If you’re loving the flavor and crunch but want something a little more seafood-y, try my Parmesan crusted tilapia!

Oven-Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken Video

How to Make Oven-Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken

What do you need for this chicken? A few simple ingredients, the oven, and a few kitchen tools (especially a meat mallet). That’s it!

  • Butterfly the chicken: Butterfly the boneless skinless chicken breasts, then with a meat tenderizer, pound it out super flat.
  • Prepare the breading: In a shallow dish, whisk the flour, garlic parsley salt, and black pepper together.
  • Prepare the egg wash: Whisk the eggs together in a separate shallow bowl.
  • Make the chicken coating: Then, in a third bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese together.
  • Bread the chicken: Next, dredge the chicken by dipping it into the flour mixture, followed by the egg mixture, and then the breadcrumb mixture.
  • Broil the chicken: Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spray the tops with cooking spray. Broil it in the oven at low or at 450°F for 15 minutes, turning it about halfway through the time. Serve the golden brown chicken immediately and enjoy!

Air fryer hack: You can cook this chicken in the air fryer, too! Assemble the chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket and air fry it at 400°F for 5 minutes. Flip it over and air fry it for 3-5 minutes more. Or, check out this air fryer chicken Parm recipe for a slightly different version.

Tenderized chicken on a baling sheet.
Seasoned and coated chicken on different plates.
Coated chicken breast on a baking sheet.
Baked chicken parmesan on a baking sheet.

Tips for the Best Crusted Chicken

What’s the trick for the juiciest, crispiest Parmesan chicken? Read below to learn the tricks for yourself!

  • Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese: Instead of using pre-shredded Parmesan, opt for shredding it yourself straight off the block. Pre-shredded Parmesan tends to be drier and less flavorful.
  • Cut chicken into similar-sized pieces: To ensure even cooking, butterfly the chicken into similar-sized pieces.
  • Pound the chicken to one even thickness: Another way to ensure evenly cooked bites is to pound the chicken out until it’s a consistent thickness all across.
  • Use a wire rack (optional): Some readers mention that the bottom of the chicken doesn’t stay crispy. To combat this, place the chicken on a wire baking rack set over a baking sheet. I still recommend flipping it over halfway through!
  • Check the internal temperature: Unsure if your chicken is done cooking? Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken is at 165°F.
  • Substitute the breadcrumbs (optional): If you don’t have Italian breadcrumbs, swap them with crushed crackers, Panko breadcrumbs, or crushed cornflakes.

Hot tip: If you want to make your breading flavor taste a bit more fresh, mix in some fresh herbs. Fresh parsley, thyme, rosemary, basil, and oregano are all great options.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with herbs on a tray.

Serving Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast

There are a million and one different ways to serve up your Parmesan crusted baked chicken. Need some inspo?

  • Crispy Chicken Sandwich: Sandwich the chicken between a brioche bun with fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, tomato slices, and a smear of pesto.
  • Crispy Chicken Salad: Top your favorite salad with a sliced up piece of the chicken. A spinach berry salad or homemade Caesar salad are my favorites!
  • Crusted Chicken Entree: Serve the chicken as a main course alongside any of your favorite sides like creamy mashed potatoes, asparagus with bacon, garlic green beans, or oven roasted broccoli.
  • On top of pasta: Add the Parm crusted chicken breast on top of your favorite Alfredo pasta!
  • Chicken wrap: Similar to a sandwich, place sliced chicken into a wrap or make a Mediterranean style pita wrap!
  • As dipping strips: Cut the chicken into strips before breading and bake them to make elevated chicken fingers. Serve with marinara, garlic aioli, BBQ sauce, or any dip.

Storing Baked Crusted Chicken

This chicken isn’t just for dinner tonight — it’s also fantastic for meal prep! Store your leftovers for a few days and easily turn them into salads, wraps, and pastas later in the week.

  • Refrigerator: Keep the Parmesan crusted chicken on hand for up to a week when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
  • Freezer: Freeze the chicken cooked or raw. Assemble it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (make sure it’s fully cooled down if it’s baked) and pop the baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours. Then, transfer the chicken into a plastic storage bag and freeze for up to a month.

Reheating tip: To reheat the chicken, pop it back in the oven until it is crispy and warmed through. If you’re reheating frozen and raw chicken, it will likely take 5-7 minutes longer to cook (just check the internal temperature!).

More Tasty Chicken Recipes

Recipe

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with herbs on a tray.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken (Oven Baked)

Print Pin
Servings
4 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
Oven baked Parmesan crusted chicken features tender, butterflied chicken breaded in nutty Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. It's crispy without the need for any frying!

Ingredients

US Units – Metric

Instructions

  • Butterfly each chicken breast. Using a meat tenderizer, pound all the pieces until they are even in thickness.
    Tenderized chicken on a baling sheet.
  • In a shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic parsley salt, and black pepper.
    Seasoned salt on a plate.
  • In a second shallow dish, whisk the eggs and set aside.
  • In a third shallow dish, mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.
    Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs on a plate.
  • Bread the chicken by dipping the chicken on both sides into the flour mixture, followed by the egg mixture, and then the breadcrumb mixture.
    Seasoned and coated chicken on different plates.
  • Preheat the oven to 450°F or set it to a low broil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    Coated chicken breast on a baking sheet.
  • Place the breaded chicken on the baking sheet in a single layer and spray the tops with the cooking spray. Broil at low or 450°F for 15-17 minutes, turning the chicken over halfway. Enjoy!
    Baked chicken parmesan on a baking sheet.
Nutrition Facts
Parmesan Crusted Chicken (Oven Baked)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 590 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 7g35%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 244mg81%
Sodium 1680mg70%
Potassium 985mg28%
Carbohydrates 35g12%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 66g132%
Vitamin A 443IU9%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 379mg38%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Updated July 21, 2026

About Author

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Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.