Quick and easy baked Chicken Parmesan for Two can be on your table in under half an hour and is a fantastic, filling weeknight meal when you have a craving for pasta.
Sometimes eating healthy can feel like a drag. I love veggies. I love light, healthy meals, but there are days when all I want is to just bury my face in a plate of pasta. Who’s with me?
When I feel like that, but still want to eat well, I whip my Easy Baked Chicken Parmesan (For Two!).
This dish is made with crispy, crunchy panko-coated boneless skinless chicken breast, served over fettuccine and topped with your favorite red sauce, cheese and more cheese.
See Also: Parmesan Chicken Soup
It’s filling, perfect for when you want some comfort food, and comes in at around 500 calories, including pasta, cheese, and all.
Plus, this baked Chicken Parmesan is fast, flexible, and EASY to make. If you are feeling ambitious, you can make your own red sauce, but if I don’t have a jar of homemade stuff in my fridge, I’ll usually just grab some store-bought spaghetti sauce out of my pantry. Whatever red sauce you use, this is going to be some A++ dining.
And if you don’t stock panko (though you should, it’s like bread crumbs on steroids), you can use plain old bread crumbs to coat your chicken. Don’t you love a flexible dinner? Serve with a side of Butter and Garlic Green Beans or put some more panko to work with Panko and Parmesan Broccoli.
Trust me, give this one a try. You are going to be shocked at how delicious and completely satisfying it is.
More Easy Chicken Dinners
Chicken Parmesan for Two Recipe Notes
- As always, an instant-read thermometer* is the best way to make sure you get perfectly cooked chicken breasts every time. Bake just until internal temp reaches 160°F. They will reach 165°F during the five minute resting period.
- If you don’t have a kitchen scale, but want to make sure you’re not overdoing your carb intake, check out this article on how to measure pasta.
- Looking for panko at the grocery store? It should be in the same aisle as the breadcrumbs, right next to them.
Easy Baked Chicken Parmesan for Two
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/3 cup milk any percentage
- 1/3 cup panko
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 ounces fettuccine noodles
- 1 1/2 cups your favorite red sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking tray with foil. Grease well. Put a medium pot of lightly salted water on to boil for the pasta.
- Take out two dishes large enough to fit a chicken breast. Add milk to one, panko to the second. Stir salt and pepper into the panko.
- Cut your chicken breast in half horizontally (butterfly the breast and cut all the way througby placing one hand on top of the breast and running the knife through the center of the meat so you have two even, thin pieces of chicken. Coat each first in milk and then panko and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until meat reaches 150°F.
- While your chicken is cooking, heat sauce and cook your pasta according to package instructions.
- Once your chicken reaches 150°F, add a heaping spoonful (about two tablespoonof sauce over each breast and top with both cheeses. Return to the oven and bake until cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through and reaches 160°F, about 5 minutes.
- Remove chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Plate noodles, top with the remaining sauce and serve chicken over the top. Enjoy!
Adapted From Skinny Taste
leon says
Recipe looks good. How could you cook for more than 2 people? Also, is there a milk substitute that you can use?
Thanks
Tracy says
Hi, Leon. Yes, you can double it without any changes needed. Instead of milk, you can use melted butter or a beaten egg.
Isabelle says
Can you make the chicken with frozen chicken breasts and then re-freeze? I’m trying to batch cook a bunch of freezer meals and this looks lush!
Tracy says
Hi, Isabelle, you definitely *can* freeze the breasts–they will be edible, but I’m not sure how crispy/pretty the breading will be after freezing and reheating. If you do try it, please let me know how it works out!
CakePants says
Only 25 minutes for that bowl of deliciousness?! Count me in! I had assumed that chicken parm was almost always scary unhealthy…I’m glad to see that I was wrong 🙂
Tracy says
Haha. Thanks! 🙂
Elizabeth @ SugarHero.com says
Chicken parm is one of my favorite weeknight dinners, but your method looks extra-super-easy! I’m excited to give it a try!
Tracy says
Thanks, Elizabeth! If you try it, let me know how it works out for you! 🙂
Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery says
Wait wait wait. There are only *some* days when you want to bury your face in a plate of pasta? That’s basically every single day for me. Sigh. The struggle is real to keep my caloric consumption in check. Chicken parm is usually not an attractive dish – you styled and photographed yours beautifully!
Tracy says
I was trying to downplay it, but you’re right. It’s pretty much every day of my life too. 😉 Thanks!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
Oh, my! I just want to reach in and take that plate for myself!
Tracy says
Ha! Thanks, Lisa!!
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says
I’m with you! Pasta for dinner! Whoop! lol
This looks delicious– my mom makes a similar recipe and I love it!
Tracy says
Thanks Sarah!! Love your mom’s taste in recipes! 😉
Veena says
That looks so glorious.. Love the colors. Thanks for the recipe. Piinned for later
Tracy says
Thanks, Veena. And thanks for pinning! 🙂