overhead shot of a baked chicken parmesan recipe made with dairy free mozzarella, on a bed of spaghetti in a white bowl with an antique fork, a second serving to the side with a blue tinted glass and a blue and white striped napkin

Why I love this chicken marinara recipe

Chicken parmesan has always been one of my husband’s favorite meals. It was his favorite pre-game meal when he was playing hockey and it’s what I usually make for Valentine’s Day or other special occasions.

But, we’re obviously skipping the parmesan now, so I make this chicken marinara instead. I like to bake it in the oven rather than frying it in oil on the stove, to make it a little bit healthier.

Most of the time we serve it with pasta, but it’s really great with my favorite spaghetti squash, too. Either way, it gets topped with my easy marinara sauce, and vegan mozzarella cheese (if we have it).

3 servings of a baked chicken parmesan recipe made with dairy free mozzarella on a cookie sheet

Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast that have been pounded to 1-inch thickness with a meat mallet on a baking sheet, to be used in a baked chicken parmesan recipe

How to make crispy chicken marinara

Before starting, preheat your oven to 400˚F and make a batch of your favorite marinara sauce. Or, open your favorite jar, whichever you prefer.

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Pound your chicken breasts. Using a meat mallet (or similar instrument, like the bottom of a small saucepan), pound the chicken until it becomes uniformly thick. It should be no thicker than 1 inch.

Be sure to cover the chicken with wax paper or place it in a plastic bag to prevent germs from spreading.

breading ingredients for a baked chicken recipe in a clear pie plate, on a marble background

Dip and bread the chicken. In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg with a tablespoons or two of water. In a separate bowl, mix together the cornflake crumbs, Panko, garlic, parsley, and salt & pepper.

Dip each chicken breast into the egg and then into the breading mixture to coat, pressing breadcrumbs as needed to make them stick.

4 uncooked, breaded chicken breast on a cookie sheet for a baked chicken parmesan recipe

Bake your chicken. Transfer breaded chicken to a baking sheet. Spray with olive oil or cooking spray (optional). Bake the chicken for about 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F.

Top with marinara. Remove from oven and top with marinara sauce and a slice of dairy free cheese (or regular if you’re not dairy free). Return the pan to the oven and allow the chicken to cook for about 2 – 5 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

close up overhead shot of baked chicken parmesan recipe made with dairy free mozzarella on a baking sheet next to a blue and white striped napkin

FAQs and tips for baked chicken marinara

How do I get the crispiest breaded chicken?

My favorite way to get super crispy breaded chicken is to start with the right breadcrumbs. I always use Panko – since we can’t use traditional breadcrumbs anyway. I’ve started adding cornflake crumbs to my mixture because they’re super crispy and beautifully golden brown.

I like to spray my breaded chicken with a nice coating of olive oil or whatever cooking spray I have on hand to help it get nice and brown and crispy.

close up of baked chicken parmesan recipe made with dairy free mozzarella, on a bed of spaghetti in a white bowl with an antique fork

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