4boneless skinless chicken breastsaround 6-8 ounces each
1egg
1/2 cupflourI use einkorn flour, other options: almond flour, all-purpose, whole wheat
1/2cuppanko breadcrumbs
1/2cupgrated parmigiano reggiano cheese
1 tspdried oregano
1tspdried parsley
1tsp garlic powder
1/2tsppaprika
saltto taste, I add just a few pinches. If your panko contains salt, you may want to do just a pinch or two or skip this ingredient. Remember the cheese is also salty.
To a medium-size bowl, add the panko, flour, grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
Whisk the egg with a fork.
Dip a chicken breast in the egg and flip to coat both sides. Shake off the excess egg, then dredge the chicken in the flour mixture so it's well coated. Set the chicken aside and continue until all the chicken is coated.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the tomatoes and garlic to the sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt, oregano, and basil. Place the tomatoes in the oven and allow to roast for 15 minutes, or until just beginning to split and burst.
Drizzle 1/4 cup of olive oil in a skillet. Over medium-high heat, allow the oil to get hot. Once hot, place the floured chicken in the oil and cook for 4-5 minutes. Flip the chicken and allow to cook for another 4-5 minutes. The chicken should be brown on each side. If you're using almond flour, you may need to reduce this time and the temp slightly as almond flour can easily burn.
Remove the tomatoes from the oven. Push the tomatoes to the perimeter of the sheet pan. Place the chicken in the center of the sheet pan and scatter the mozzarella pieces over the top of the chicken.
Return the sheet pan to the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes, OR until cooked through (this will greatly depend on the thickness of the chicken, if your chicken breasts are on the thin side, 15 minutes will be plenty, if it's on the thicker side, 20 minutes will be needed). If using spinach, add spinach to the sheet pan, scattered in with the tomatoes, upon removing the sheet pan from the oven. If needed, you can place the sheet pan back in the oven for just a couple of minutes until the spinach wilts.
Serve the tomatoes on top or on the side of the chicken, with or without your favorite pasta or zucchini noodles. Garnish with chopped fresh basil, if desired, before serving.
Notes
Don't have fresh tomatoes? No problem
After browning the chicken on the stove-top, top each piece of chicken with about 1/3 cup of sauce, followed by the mozzarella cheese over top. You can then transfer the chicken, in the skillet which should be oven-safe, to the oven to finish off baking.
Want a 100% oven baked chicken parmesan? Try this
Browning the chicken first on the stove-top adds flavor and is 100% worth the extra effort in my opinion. But if you would like to skip this step, I recommend placing the floured chicken with cheese on top on the sheet pan after the initial tomato bake (after the tomatoes have cooked for about 15 minutes). Push the tomatoes to the perimeter of the pan and allow the chicken and tomatoes to bake for 20-25 minutes OR until chicken is cooked through.