This oven baked 5-ingredient chicken parmesan bake is the kind of comforting supper that feels like it came straight from a small-town church cookbook. Instead of fussing with breading and frying, you simply lay raw chicken cutlets in a glass baking dish, spoon over a good jarred marinara, and blanket everything with just three more everyday ingredients. It’s the sort of practical, no-nonsense recipe I leaned on when the kids had ball practice and chores ran late, but I still wanted the cozy flavor of classic chicken parmesan without standing over a skillet. The sauce soaks into the chicken as it bakes, the cheese melts into a golden cap, and the whole dish smells like Sunday at Grandma’s.
Serve this chicken parmesan bake straight from the glass dish with a big spoon, letting everyone scoop out a cutlet and plenty of saucy, cheesy goodness. It’s lovely over buttered egg noodles or hot cooked spaghetti, but in true Midwestern fashion it’s also right at home beside mashed potatoes or garlic bread. Add a simple green salad with a tangy vinaigrette or some steamed green beans to balance the richness. If you’ve got extra marinara in the dish, use it for dipping warm dinner rolls or leftover crusty bread.
Oven Baked 5-Ingredient Chicken Parmesan BakeServings: 4
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds thin-sliced raw chicken cutlets
1 1/2 cups jarred marinara sauce (about half of a 24-ounce jar), plus more as needed
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup seasoned Italian-style dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter (optional, for drizzling on top)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Nonstick cooking spray or a little oil, for greasing the glass baking dish
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray or a little oil so the chicken doesn’t stick.
Pat the raw chicken cutlets dry with paper towels and season both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Lay the cutlets in a single layer in the prepared glass baking dish, edges just touching but not stacked.
Spoon the jarred marinara sauce evenly over the raw chicken cutlets, making sure each piece is well coated. You want a generous layer of sauce so the chicken stays moist as it bakes.
In a medium bowl, stir together the shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and seasoned bread crumbs until well combined. This simple mixture is your cheesy, crunchy topping.
Sprinkle the cheese and bread crumb mixture evenly over the sauced chicken cutlets in the glass dish, covering as much of the surface as you can. If you like, drizzle the top lightly with olive oil or melted butter to help the crumbs brown.
Cover the baking dish loosely with foil, tenting it so it doesn’t press into the cheese. Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, carefully remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature of the thickest cutlet should reach at least 165°F (74°C) when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
Let the chicken parmesan bake rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the juices settle and the sauce thickens slightly. Spoon the saucy, cheesy chicken onto plates and serve hot.
Variations & Tips
If your family likes extra saucy chicken, simply spoon more jarred marinara over the cutlets before baking or warm a little on the stove to serve on the side. For a heartier topping, mix a handful of finely chopped fresh parsley into the bread crumb mixture or add a pinch of dried Italian herbs. You can also swap part of the mozzarella for provolone or use a sharper Parmesan for more bite. If you prefer less breading, cut the bread crumbs in half and increase the mozzarella for a softer, cheesier finish. For smaller households, halve the recipe and use an 8x8-inch glass baking dish, checking for doneness a few minutes earlier. Food safety tips: Always start with fully thawed chicken cutlets and keep them refrigerated until you are ready to assemble the dish. Avoid rinsing raw chicken, as it can spread bacteria around your sink. Wash your hands, utensils, and any surfaces that touch raw chicken with hot, soapy water before handling other ingredients. Use a clean spoon for the marinara so you don’t dip a chicken-covered spoon back into the jar. Bake until the chicken reaches at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, and promptly refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a shallow container. Reheat leftovers until steaming hot before serving.
