Best Damn Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan

This Best Damn Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan isn’t your average chicken parmesan recipe! Marinating the chicken in buttermilk and baking it in the oven creates a deliciously crispy crust while keeping the meat tender, juicy, and full of flavor—all with little effort!

Why I Love This Chicken Parm Recipe

Good ol’ chicken parmigiana…. what a classic recipe! There’s something about the simple combination of breaded chicken cooked to a beautiful golden brown, covered in flavorful marinara sauce, and topped with gooey melted cheese that warms the soul. 

The secret to this oven-baked chicken parmesan is marinating it in buttermilk. Buttermilk not only adds flavor, but also tenderizes the meat. If you have the time, letting the chicken marinate overnight or for several hours will give you the best baked chicken parmesan you’ve ever had at your dinner table.

Strapped on time? At the very least, let the chicken soak in the buttermilk for at least a half hour. You’ll still get a delicious, moist, and crispy chicken parmesan (but trust me, a few hours makes it even better!)

You can also give my Best Damn Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan a shot if you’re looking for a quicker alternative. So don’t worry, when it comes to easy chicken parmesan recipes, leave it to me—I’m on it like marinara on pasta!

Made with Only 6 Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Make sure this chicken is cut to even thickness for even cooking.
• Buttermilk: What makes this parmesan crusted chicken so darn moist and tender? Buttermilk! 
• Breadcrumbs: Use breadcrumbs with Italian seasoning for even more flavor.
• Parmesan cheese: You can’t have crispy chicken parmesan without parmesan cheese!
• Seasoned salt: This is all you need to bring out the natural flavors.
• Eggs: This helps hold the breading together and adds a nice crispiness to the chicken.

Preparation

Marinate chicken in 1 cup of buttermilk for at least 30 minutes (overnight, or for several hours even better!)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet or pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a shallow bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and seasoned salt. In another bowl, beat 2 eggs.

Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and let the excess drip off. Dip chicken into the egg mixture, then dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture, shaking off any excess. Lay it out on the foil-lined sheet.

Top Tip: These chicken breasts will cook in the oven on a foil-lined baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. The spray is just a simple vegetable-based oil—usually canola oil. Once the chicken is breaded and in the pan, spray it with the cooking spray. The additional layer of oil will help the browning process in the oven.

Cooking

Now that your chicken is breaded and ready to go, bake it for 18-20 minutes until browned or when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

When done, carefully remove the sheet pan from the oven. Then spoon some marinara or tomato sauce on each piece, top it with grated mozzarella cheese, and return it to the oven for an additional 5 minutes.

Serving

That’s it! Your oven baked chicken parmesan is ready to serve. Before serving, feel free to add special touches like fresh basil or a sprinkle of dried oregano. Enjoy!

Delicious Pairings for Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan

We all know the obvious choices here. Serve your chicken parmesan with spaghetti to keep it classic, or any kind of pasta you have on hand. I really like this chicken parm with my One-Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce: Comfort Food Made Easy or Best Darn Instant Pot Feta Pasta.

Other great ideas are to serve it with cauliflower gnocchi, zoodles (zucchini noodles), or my Best Damn Air Fryer Roasted Zucchini for a lighter option. 

Storage & Reheating

Chicken parmesan is best served fresh out of the oven, but if you have leftovers, let them cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. They can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

To reheat, bake the chicken at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

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