Craving a dinner that’s crunchy, cheesy, and dripping with flavor? This Crispy Parmesan Chicken with Garlic Sauce Recipe is your go-to! Golden, crispy boneless skinless chicken breasts are coated in a Parmesan and breadcrumb crust, then paired with a creamy, garlicky sauce that’s pure comfort.
Ready in about 40 minutes, it’s perfect for weeknights or impressing guests. With simple ingredients like fresh garlic, oregano, and parsley, this dish delivers a restaurant-quality taste without the fuss. Let’s get cooking with a step-by-step guide, clever tips, and ways to make it your own, weaving in key terms like salt, pepper, bake, and garnish for a flavorful twist.
Ingredients You’ll Need for This Dish
Gather these pantry-friendly ingredients to create a juicy, crispy chicken dish with a luscious garlic sauce. Here’s the lineup:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: 4 medium (about 1.5 lbs), pounded to ½-inch thickness for even cooking.
- Parmesan cheese: ¾ cup, freshly grated, for a nutty, cheesy crust. Avoid pre-shredded for better flavor.
- Panko breadcrumbs: 1 cup for extra crispiness, unlike regular breadcrumbs.
- Garlic: 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced, for the sauce and coating. Pre-minced garlic is a quick substitute.
- Heavy cream: ¾ cup for a thick sauce, rich and velvety.
- Egg: 1 large, beaten, to help the coating stick, like a coat of vegetable oil.
- Flour: ½ cup, all-purpose, for dredging the chicken.
- Oregano: 1 teaspoon dried oregano for an earthy kick, similar to its role in other sauces.
- Parsley: 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, as a garnish for visual appeal and taste.
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons (instead of vegetable oil) for frying and coating the pan.
- Salt and pepper: Essential for seasoning the chicken and sauce.
- Sesame seeds: 1 tablespoon, optional garnish for crunch, inspired by sesame seeds in other recipes.
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon for a hint of sweetness in the sauce, like honey’s brightness.
These ingredients, akin to soy sauce or ketchup in flavor-packed dishes, are easy to find and create a crispy, savory masterpiece.
Instructions: How to Cook Crispy Parmesan Chicken with Garlic Sauce?
This recipe combines pan-frying for crispiness and baking for juiciness, with a creamy garlic sauce made in minutes. Here’s how to nail it:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking dish with parchment or lightly grease with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prep the Chicken: Pound boneless skinless chicken breasts to an even ½-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper.
- Set Up Breading Station: In three shallow bowls, place: (1) flour with a pinch of salt; (2) beaten egg; (3) a mix of Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, ½ teaspoon oregano, and 1 minced garlic clove. This creates the crispy coating.
- Bread the Chicken: Dredge each chicken breast in flour, dip in egg, then press into the Panko-Parmesan mix to coat evenly.
- Fry for Crispiness: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Work in batches to avoid crowding.
- Bake to Finish: Transfer fried chicken to the baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the internal temperature hits 165°F, ensuring doneness without dry texture. Use an internal thermometer for accuracy.
- Make the Garlic Sauce: In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in heavy cream, lemon juice, and ¼ cup Parmesan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until thick. Season with salt, pepper, and ½ teaspoon oregano.
- Rest and Serve: Let chicken rest for 5 minutes to redistribute juices. Drizzle with garlic sauce, garnish with fresh parsley and sesame seeds, and serve hot.
This method, blending frying and baking like bake and baste techniques, delivers crispy, juicy chicken every time.
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Secrets to Perfect Parmesan Chicken
Want restaurant-worthy results? These tips, inspired by strategies like avoiding overcook or using fresh ingredients, ensure success:
Maximize Crispiness
Use Panko breadcrumbs for a lighter, crunchier crust compared to regular breadcrumbs. Pat the Parmesan-Panko mix firmly onto the chicken to prevent it from falling off. Fry in hot olive oil to lock in crispiness before baking.
Keep Chicken Juicy
Pound chicken breasts evenly for uniform cooking. Check the internal temperature at 165°F to avoid dry, tough chicken. Letting it rest for 5 minutes traps juices, like in other juicy recipes.
Craft a Flavorful Sauce
Fresh garlic is key for a bold garlic sauce, just as it elevates taste in other dishes. Simmer the heavy cream gently to create a thick sauce, stirring to prevent burning. Add lemon juice for a bright flavor, similar to sweetness from honey.
Save Time
Prep ahead: Bread the chicken and store in the fridge for up to 4 hours before frying, like mixing a sauce early. Grate Parmesan and mince garlic in advance to streamline cooking.
Elevate Presentation
Garnish with fresh parsley and sesame seeds for visual appeal, making the dish pop like a pro chef’s plate. Serve the garlic sauce in a small dish on the side for dipping to enhance taste and style.
Why This Recipe Stands Out
This Crispy Parmesan Chicken with Garlic Sauce shines for its unbeatable texture and flavor. The Panko-Parmesan crust delivers a satisfying crunch, while the garlic sauce, enriched with heavy cream and oregano, adds creamy decadence. It’s versatile—pair it with mashed potatoes, a salad, or roasted veggies for a balanced meal, much like serving chicken with rice. Plus, it’s kid-friendly yet sophisticated, perfect for any occasion.
Make It Your Own
Customize this dish to suit your taste, drawing inspiration from flexible recipes:
- Spice It Up: Add cayenne pepper to the Panko mix for a kick, like tweaking a sauce with heat.
- Change the Cheese: Swap Parmesan for Pecorino Romano for a sharper taste, akin to a substitute ingredient.
- Add Veggies: Serve with sautéed spinach or zucchini on the side, boosting nutrition like ketchup’s tang in other dishes.
- Go Lighter: Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a less rich sauce, similar to low-sodium swaps.
Pairing Ideas
Serve hot with sides that complement the crispy chicken and garlic sauce. Garlic mashed potatoes or buttery pasta soak up the sauce, like rice with other chicken dishes. A salad with a sesame seed oil vinaigrette echoes the sesame seeds garnish. Roasted asparagus or green beans add a fresh, healthy touch. Prep sides while the oven preheats to save time.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, like other chicken recipes. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 10-12 minutes to restore crispiness, adding a splash of heavy cream to the sauce to keep it smooth. Avoid microwaving to prevent soggy coating, ensuring the chicken stays juicy.
Final Thoughts
This Crispy Parmesan Chicken with Garlic Sauce Recipe is a game-changer—crunchy, cheesy, and paired with a dreamy garlic sauce that’s easy to love. With fresh garlic, Parmesan, and Panko, it’s a step above basic chicken dishes. Garnish with fresh parsley and sesame seeds, check doneness with an internal thermometer, and serve hot for a meal that’s both comforting and elegant. Preheat your oven, grab your skillet, and enjoy juicy, crispy chicken that’s sure to become a family favorite!
Crispy Parmesan Chicken with Garlic Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
- ½ cup 60g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup 100g panko breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup 75g grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp olive oil for baking
- Cooking spray optional, for extra crispiness
For the Creamy Garlic Sauce:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ cup 120ml low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup 120ml heavy cream
- ¼ cup 25g grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack on top, if available. Lightly grease the rack or parchment with cooking spray.
- Prepare Chicken: Pound chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Set Up Breading Station: In a shallow dish, mix flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. In a second dish, whisk eggs. In a third dish, combine panko, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning.
- Bread Chicken: Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip in the egg, letting excess drip off. Press into the panko-Parmesan mixture, coating both sides thoroughly. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake Chicken: Drizzle or brush chicken with olive oil and spray lightly with cooking spray for extra crispiness. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). If desired, broil for 1-2 minutes at the end for a deeper golden crust.
- Make Garlic Sauce: While chicken bakes, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux. Gradually whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Add heavy cream, salt, and pepper, and simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan until melted.
- Serve: Plate the crispy chicken and spoon the creamy garlic sauce over the top or serve on the side. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes, pasta, or steamed vegetables.
Notes
- Crispy Crust: Using a wire rack during baking ensures air circulation, preventing a soggy bottom. If unavailable, flip the chicken carefully to maintain crispiness. Toasting panko in a dry skillet before breading adds extra crunch.
- Sauce Variations: For a lighter sauce, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half, though it may be less thick. Add a splash of white wine (e.g., Sauvignon Blanc) after sautéing garlic for extra depth, reducing it by half before adding broth.
- Parmesan Quality: Freshly grated Parmesan melts better and provides stronger flavor than pre-shredded. For lactose intolerance, try nutritional yeast or vegan cheese alternatives.
- Make Ahead: Bread the chicken and refrigerate up to 4 hours before baking. Prepare the sauce in advance and reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if it thickens too much.
- Storage: Store leftover chicken and sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat chicken in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes to maintain crispiness; reheat sauce on the stovetop. Freezing the sauce is not recommended due to cream separation.
- Serving Suggestions: Pair with garlic mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, or a fresh green salad. The sauce is also delicious over pasta or as a dip for crusty bread.
- Dietary Adjustments: For a keto version, use almond flour and crushed pork rinds instead of flour and panko.
