20 Minute Garlic Parmesan Panko Crusted Chicken Parmigiana Recipe

Combining fresh baked Garlic Parmesan Crusted Chicken with your favorite pasta sauce over veggie enriched pasta, this is my Easy 20 Minute Chicken Parmigiana recipe.

I usually like to make meals from scratch, but some days are busier than others and it’s simply more important to be able to whip up a quick meal so I can spend those extra few minutes with my family instead.

While it’s easy to fall into the “let’s order out” trap on these days, skimping on time shouldn’t mean skimping on quality or taste.

This is why I love having a repertoire of recipes that fuse made from scratch elements with quick and easy pre-made/purchased shorts.

What is the difference between chicken parmesan and chicken parmigiana?

Whether you call it Chicken Parmesan or Chicken Parmigiana, it doesn’t matter. Chicken Parmigiana is simply the authentic Italian name for Chicken Parmesan.

They are both the same dish – a breaded chicken cutlet with lots of melted mozzarella and/or provolone doused in a flavorful tomato sauce.

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The dish actually started out as Eggplant Parmigiana in Sicily, Italy. Personally, I’m not a fan of eggplant though so I’m really glad the recipe transformed over the years. Something about the consistency really gets me – and I’ve TRIED to love Eggplant Parmesan. I really have.

Why do you use panko instead of breadcrumbs?

If you like a crispier crust that is also somehow lighter, then believe me, you want to use panko instead of breadcrumbs. Because of my Korean-American heritage, I’ve never actually even used standard breadcrumbs.

Panko is just what I grew up with and there is always a box in the kitchen cupboard. You used to have to get it at a Japanese or asian market, but nowadays most every major grocery store sells it. You can also find Panko bread crumbs on Amazon.

Did you know that Panko is actually lower in calories, fat, and sodium than regular breadcrumbs? Win! This makes it a good choice as a healthier alternative to normal bread crumbs … and it just tastes better too.

With our upcoming family road trip planned, I’ve been cramming next weeks work into this week’s schedule. Because of this, I was able to come up with a new short-cut recipe that I’d love to share with you.

Combining fresh baked Garlic Parmesan Crusted Chicken with your favorite pasta sauce over veggie enriched pasta, this is my Easy 20 Minute Chicken Parmigiana recipe.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup fresh parmesan cheese (shredded)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 jar pasta sauce (warmed)
• 1 box pasta (cooked)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. At same time start a pot of boiling water for pasta. 
2. Spray aluminum covered baking sheet with with cooking spray.
3. To reduce cooking time, filet chicken breasts so that you have 8 thinner slices. Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken breasts and set aside.
4. Saute garlic and olive oil about 3-5 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from heat. Don’t forget to add pasta to your boiling water!
5. Mix Panko, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder in a shallow dish (I like to use sandwich size tupperware.)
6. I like to leave the garlic oil in the pan instead of dirtying up another dish, but if you really want to you can place the mixture into a shallow dish as well.
7. Dredge both sides of a chicken breasts in olive oil mixture. Then turn to coat in breadcrumb mixture.
8. Place in single layer on baking sheet.
9. Bake 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.
10. Place cooked pasta (I used Barilla® Veggie mixed with Barilla® White Fiber) on plate. Top with sauce and 1-2 chicken breasts slices.

 

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