When times get busy, sometimes we need something that isn’t going to take a lot of work. My semi-homemade chicken parmesan is quick, easy and delicious!
You all know about my love of semi-homemade cooking.
As I have gotten to talk to people about my blog and about their cooking habits, most people either say that they don’t know how to cook, or they do and they don’t like to.
Both responses made me a little sad, but a little more so of the first. I mean, this isn’t just young people that I’m talking to. I’ve talked to people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s about cooking. Some say they just leave it to their spouse.
And here I am thinking, the kitchen is my happy place. This is where I go to de-stress and create new recipes to share with you guys!
I don’t like cooking being portrayed as this trade for chefs and gourmets. You are human, and you eat. So do some cooking!
Even if it means taking some shortcuts, like with my semi-homemade chicken parmesan recipe!
If you haven’t tried my chicken parm bites yet, I highly recommend them. They are slightly more labor intensive but oh so addictive! You can click here for that recipe.
But this is a more true-to-life chicken parmesan recipe. My big secret? We’re going to use premade breaded chicken cutlets. This takes out the messy dredging process and cuts our prep time down exponentially. This semi-homemade chicken parmesan recipe a dinner that is ready in 30 minutes, tops.
Oh, and don’t use chicken nuggets for this. I tried it, and it tastes alright, but there is a lot more breading on individual nuggets versus bigger cutlets. If you don’t mind having as much bread as you do chicken, go ahead. It’s all in the tastes, of course!
If you really wanted to, you could use all store-bought ingredients.
The first time I had made this recipe, I used marinara from a jar. And don’t get me wrong, it was still tasty! But if you read my post on marinara sauce, you know I prefer a homemade marinara over canned sauce any day. So use what you will, but I’m using my personal marinara recipe for this one!
So there you have it! A semi-homemade chicken parmesan. It is quick, simple, and delicious. I love that combo of words for food. 🙂
What is your go-to semi-homemade recipe? Let me know in the comments down below!
Cheers dears!
Gem
Easy Semi-homemade Chicken Parmesan
Probably the easiest chicken parmesan you will ever make.
Yields: 4 servings
- 12 oz. package thin breaded chicken cutlets
- 2 cups Marinara sauce, plus extra for topping
- 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. Shredded Parmesan or romano cheese
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 425⁰F. Grease an 8x8 pan. Set aside.
Put a large pan on medium heat. When warm, spray cooking oil into the pan and add cutlets. Brown on each side for 1.5-3 minutes.
Lay down chicken cutlets in the 8"x8" pan. It might be a tight squeeze, but they will fit.
Add marinara sauce on top. Put cheese on top of sauce.
Place into the oven for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and the internal temperature of the dish is at least 165⁰F.
If you want crispy cheese, turn oven to broil and place the pan below the heat. Allow to cook until cheese is brown and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.
Allow dish to cool slightly before serving. Do not allow to sit for too long; the breading on the inside can be prone to becoming soggy.
- Preparation time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 25-30 minutes
- Total time: 30-35 minutes
