This Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan recipe is made in a skillet on the stove top. Top with mozzarella and serve with pasta for an Italian meal!
Chicken Parmesan is one of my all-time favorite meals. It falls into the category I like to call 'healthy comfort food'. This dish is satisfying and full of flavor in addition to being warm and homey.
I love to prepare this recipe during the winter months. It's full of Italian flavors like garlic and oregano and smells amazing as it bubbles away on the stove top.
Chicken parmesan is an easy down-to-earth dish that feels a bit fancy. It makes a great weeknight dinner at home or an impressive meal to serve guests at a dinner party.
This dish tastes like it simmered away for hours because the flavors are so robust but the whole thing is done in less than 45 minutes.
Easy flavorful healthy comfort food in less than an hour? Yes, please!
Jump to:
- How To Make Chicken Parmesan
- Ingredients For Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan
- Is Chicken Parmesan Healthy?
- What Breading Should I Use To Coat The Chicken?
- Sauté Breaded Chicken In Skillet
- How Long Does It Take To Cook Chicken Parmesan?
- What Goes With Chicken Parmesan?
- Can It Be Made Ahead Of Time?
- Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan
How To Make Chicken Parmesan
This recipe is easy to prepare but there are a few essential steps to ensure that it turns out delicious every time.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are cut in half and pounded with a meat mallet to ensure a tender texture.
The chicken breasts are dredged, or coated in a mixture of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs mixed with spices and fried in a skillet until crispy.
The crispy chicken finishes cooking in marinara sauce and the whole thing is topped with cheese and served with noodles.
Ingredients For Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan
Here's what you'll need to make it.
- 1 - 1 ½ lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- ½ cup Gluten Free Flour Blend (or AP flour if not gluten free)
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Gluten Free Panko Breadcrumbs (or regular Panko breadcrumbs if not gluten free)
- 3 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp. Onion Powder
- 2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
- 1 ½ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
- 1 tsp. Pepper
- 4 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 jar Marinara Sauce
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese (shredded)
- 1 package Gluten Free Spaghetti Noodles (or regular noodles if not gluten free)
- Fresh Basil or herb of choice for garnish (optional)
Is Chicken Parmesan Healthy?
Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan can be prepared in a variety of ways from baked in the oven to fried in hot oil to prepared in an Air Fryer.
This version is lightly fried in olive oil in a skillet so it's healthier than many versions but I wouldn't categorize it as diet food.
There's definitely a comfort food factor happening with this recipe.
- To make it start by cutting two boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half. This recipe is made for two and calls for 1 - 1 ½ lbs. of chicken. It's important that the chicken breasts are not too thick so it's best to cut them in half. You can also purchase thinly sliced chicken breasts and this will eliminate the need to cut them in half.
- Once the chicken is sliced in half place it in between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound the chicken with a meat mallet or rolling pin for about 30 seconds or so. This will help to tenderize the meat.
Cutting the chicken in half, tenderizing it with a meat mallet, and not overcooking the chicken is the key to keeping it tender and flavorful.
What Breading Should I Use To Coat The Chicken?
Another crucial component to Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan is the breading that is used to coat the chicken breasts.
This is a three-step process that involves first dipping the chicken into flour, next into eggs, and lastly into a spiced breadcrumb mixture.
This process is called dredging and I use it to make everything from Eggplant Parmesan to Breaded Walleye Fingers to Crispy Air Fryer Mushrooms.
It's super easy to do but admittedly can be a messy process. (You'll need to wash your hands afterward).
- Pour ½ cup of a gluten free flour blend (I love Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour) into a bowl or you can use regular AP flour if not gluten free.
- Crack 2 eggs into another bowl and whisk them together until combined.
- In a third bowl add 1 cup gluten free Panko breadcrumbs (or regular Panko breadcrumbs if not gluten free) along with 3 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. onion powder, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, 1 tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Stir until completely combined.
- Dip each piece of sliced chicken first into the flour, then the beaten eggs, and lastly into the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure each piece is completely coated in breadcrumbs.
- Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.
If you don't have Italian seasoning you can substitute ½ tsp. each of dried rosemary, thyme, and parsley or any kind of Italian spices you have on hand.
Sauté Breaded Chicken In Skillet
Once the chicken is coated in breadcrumbs it's time to fry it in a skillet. It's important that the oil and skillet are fairly hot before adding the chicken or else the breading will become oily and soggy instead of crisp.
- Heat a skillet to medium-high and add 3-4 Tbsp. olive oil.
- Once the oil is hot (but not burning) add the coated chicken to the skillet. Sauté the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side. Sprinkle the chicken with an additional ½ tsp. of kosher salt. The breading should become golden brown as it cooks in the skillet. (The inside of the chicken is not fully cooked at this point but the outsides should be golden brown).
A Few Things
- Make sure not to crowd the pan or the outside of the chicken will not cook evenly. Feel free to cook the chicken in batches if needed.
- Feel free to add more olive oil if the pan dries out or between batches to ensure that there is enough oil in the pan.
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How Long Does It Take To Cook Chicken Parmesan?
Once the outside of the chicken has sauteed in olive oil it's time to drown the whole thing in marinara sauce and allow it to finish cooking on the stove top.
Some chicken parmesan recipes focus more on the crunchy outside coating and others are more about the sauce.
I love it doused in sauce and cooked altogether in a skillet. This allows the sauce to become flavored with the juices from the chicken and the dish just melts in your mouth.
- Place all of the sautéed chicken breasts in a skillet (it's OK if they overlap a bit) and pour 1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce over the top. Make sure the chicken is entirely coated in the sauce.
- Reduce the heat to medium/medium-low and place a cover on the skillet. (It's important to use a cover so that all of the chicken cooks through).
- Cook the chicken on a low simmer/boil for 18-20 minutes. Cooking times may vary slightly depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
- Shake the skillet a few times throughout the cooking process to make sure the chicken is not sticking to the bottom.
- Once the chicken is cooked (the safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the best way to check is to use a meat thermometer) sprinkle or shave ½ cup of Parmesan cheese over the top, replace the cover on the skillet, and cook for another 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Feel free to prepare your choice of noodles according to the package instructions while the chicken is cooking in the sauce.
- You can also top the chicken with mozzarella cheese, a combination of mozzarella and Parmesan or ANY kind of cheese you like. Feel Free to add more cheese if that's your preference.
- If you're feeling REALLY ambitious you can use a homemade spaghetti sauce instead of the jarred stuff.
What Goes With Chicken Parmesan?
I love Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan to be drowned in sauce so I prefer to serve it with spaghetti noodles but you can opt for any kind of noodles you like.
This recipe is gluten free so I went with gluten free spaghetti but you can choose regular spaghetti noodles (or any kind of pasta) if gluten is not an issue for you.
You can also skip the noodles, cut the chicken into smaller pieces, and serve it on hoagies or a bread roll of your choice for a chicken parmesan sandwich (also a delicious option).
I love hearty Italian dishes like this served with a tangy green salad, Balsamic Green Bean Salad, Caesar salad, or some roasted vegetables like green beans. Anything with a splash of vinegar will help to cut through that rich tomato sauce.
Fresh herbs like basil or parsley really help to brighten up this dish.
Can It Be Made Ahead Of Time?
You can definitely make this dish the day ahead if you like.
How To Store
- Simply prepare according to the instructions and allow to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.
- Store covered in a skillet until you are ready to serve.
How To Reheat
- Place the covered skillet on a stove top heated to medium.
- Feel free to add some chicken broth or water to thin the sauce out a bit.
- Cook on the stove top until the chicken is totally heated through. Serve as you normally would with noodles or on a hoagie.
Any leftovers should last 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
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Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 - 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup gluten free flour blend or AP flour if not gluten free
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup gluten free Panko breadcrumbs or regular Panko breadcrumbs if not gluten free
- 3 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt split
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 jar marinara sauce
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese
- 1 package gluten free spaghetti noodles or regular spaghetti noodles if not gluten free
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
Prepare The Chicken:
- Start by cutting two boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half. This recipe is made for two and calls for 1 - 1 ½ lbs. of chicken. It's important that the chicken breasts are not too thick so it's best to cut them in half.
- Once the chicken is sliced in half place it in between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound the chicken with a meat mallet or rolling pin for about 30 seconds or so. This will help to tenderize the meat.
Prepare The Breading:
- Pour ½ cup of a gluten free flour blend (I love Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour) into a bowl or you can use regular AP flour if not gluten free.
- Crack 2 eggs into another bowl and whisk them together until combined.
- In a third bowl add 1 cup gluten free Panko breadcrumbs (or regular Panko breadcrumbs if not gluten free) along with 3 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. onion powder, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, 1 tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Stir until completely combined.
- Dip each piece of sliced chicken first into the flour, then the beaten eggs, and lastly into the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure each piece is completely coated in breadcrumbs.
Cook The Chicken Parmesan:
- Heat a skillet to medium-high and add 3-4 Tbsp. olive oil.
- Once the oil is hot (but not burning) add the coated chicken to the skillet. Sauté the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side. Sprinkle the chicken with an additional ½ tsp. of kosher salt. The breading should become golden brown as it cooks in the skillet. (The inside of the chicken is not fully cooked at this point but the outsides should be golden brown).Make sure not to crowd the pan or the outside of the chicken will not cook evenly. Feel free to cook the chicken in batches if needed.Feel free to add more olive oil if the pan dries out or between batches to ensure that there is enough oil in the pan.
- Place all of the sautéed chicken breasts in a skillet (it's OK if they overlap a bit) and pour 1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce over the top. Make sure the chicken is entirely coated in the sauce.
- Reduce the heat to medium/medium-low and place a cover on the skillet. (It's important to use a cover so that all of the chicken cooks through).
- Cook the chicken on a low simmer/boil for 18-20 minutes. Cooking times may vary slightly depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts. Shake the skillet a few times throughout the cooking process to make sure the chicken is not sticking to the bottom.
- Once the chicken is cooked (the safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the best way to check is to use a meat thermometer) sprinkle or shave ½ cup of Parmesan cheese over the top, replace the cover on the skillet, and cook for another 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- To Serve: Serve on top of cooked spaghetti or noodles of choice. You can also cut the chicken into smaller pieces and serve on hoagie rolls. Garnish with fresh herbs like basil or parsley (optional).
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