Weeknight Chicken Parmesan
with pasta / broccoli
Breading chicken for classic chicken parmesan is messy and time-consuming, so this shortcut version truly is much more weeknight-friendly. Cook everything in an oven-safe skillet and top it with cheese and panko crust to give it that classic melty / crunchy finish with far fewer steps.
Ingredients
Weeknight Chicken Parmesan:
- Cheese, fresh mozzarella - 3 oz, sliced (sub pre-shredded mozzarella)
- Basil - 8 leaves, chiffonade
- Oil, cooking - 2 Tbsp
- Chicken tenders - 1 lb (sub boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips)
- Marinara sauce - 1 cup (use your favorite store-bought)
Panko Topping:
- Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
- Cheese, parmesan (opt) - 2 oz, grated (plus extra for serving)
- Panko breadcrumbs - 1/2 cup
- Italian seasoning - 1 tsp
- Oil, olive - 2 Tbsp
Pasta and Broccoli:
- Broccoli florets - 12 oz
- Pasta, any variety - 8 oz
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories
699
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% Daily Value
Total Fat
27g
41%
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Saturated Fat
7g
37%
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Trans Fat
0g
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Cholesterol
110mg
37%
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Sodium
858mg
36%
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Total Carbohydrate
66g
22%
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Dietary Fiber
6g
24%
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Sugars
7g
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Protein
47g
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Prep
- Broccoli / Garlic - Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Cheese (both types) - Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Basil - Chiffonade basil.
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Make
- Turn on the oven’s broiler.
- Bring a large stock pot of salted water to boil.
- While water is heating up, heat a large oven-safe skillet with cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken tenders and sear on both sides until just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes total. Season chicken on both sides with some salt and pepper as it cooks.
- Move skillet off the heat. Spoon marinara sauce over and around chicken.
- Return to the stockpot of water (which should be boiling by now) and add pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions. About 1 minute before the pasta is finished cooking, add broccoli.
- In a small bowl, stir together garlic, Parmesan cheese, panko, Italian seasoning, and olive oil.
- Top chicken and marinara with mozzarella cheese slices and then with seasoned panko. Transfer skillet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and panko is golden, 4 to 5 minutes. (Note: Watch the skillet closely to prevent burning the panko.)
- Drain pasta and broccoli.
- Serve chicken and sauce over pasta and broccoli with basil on top. Serve some extra sauce on the side if you like a more saucy pasta. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories
699
Just a moment...
% Daily Value
Total Fat
27g
41%
Just a moment...
Saturated Fat
7g
37%
Just a moment...
Trans Fat
0g
Just a moment...
Cholesterol
110mg
37%
Just a moment...
Sodium
858mg
36%
Just a moment...
Total Carbohydrate
66g
22%
Just a moment...
Dietary Fiber
6g
24%
Just a moment...
Sugars
7g
Just a moment...
Protein
47g
Just a moment...