Mozzarella-Stuffed Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Chicken Parmesan and mozzarella sticks are two of my favorite comfort foods. They share three essential elements: a crispy oil-fried breadcrumb crust, melted cheese and tangy marinara. Combine them and you get a new take on a classic—Mozzarella Stick Chicken Parmesan. It’s a pan-fried chicken cutlet with a golden crust that’s given an extra layer of cheese and breadcrumbs not only on top, but underneath as well, creating a caramelized, melty cheese bottom that’s addictively delicious. Best of all: you can have this on the table in about 30 minutes.

Preheat

Oven set for 425°F — Preheat the oven to 425°F so it’s hot and ready when the assembled cutlets go in.

Dredge the Chicken Cutlets

4 stations: chicken cutlets, flour, beaten egg, and Panko breadcrumb mixture. One cutlet is being dredged in the flour — Start with chicken cutlets 1/4–1/2 inch thick. Set up three stations: flour, beaten eggs, and a Panko breadcrumb mixture. Dredge each cutlet in flour first.

Cutlet with flour is being coated in the egg — Coat both sides in beaten egg— the flour helps the egg adhere.

Egg and flour-coated cutlet is being coated in the breadcrumbs. — Press both sides into the Panko breadcrumb mixture so the cutlet is evenly coated. The egg makes the crumbs stick.

Pan-Fry the Chicken

Sauté pan on stove with olive oil and butter — Heat olive oil and butter in a sauté pan until shimmering and the butter has melted.

Pan is heated and the breaded cutlets are being pan-fried. — Fry cutlets two at a time, keeping an eye on the crust so it browns evenly without burning.

Flipping the cutlets in the pan to reveal a golden-brown crust — Flip as needed until both sides are golden brown. A few darker spots are fine—just don’t let it burn.

Golden-brown pan-fried chicken cutlets on a paper towel-lined plate — Let pan-fried cutlets rest on a paper towel-lined plate while you finish the rest.

Prepare for Assembly

Remaining breadcrumbs having oil added to themn — Reserve about half the breadcrumbs. Add a little olive oil to them and mix so they absorb the oil—this helps them brown in the oven.

Mixing breadcrumbs and oil together with a fork. — Mix with a fork until the crumbs are evenly coated with oil.

Baking sheet lined with parchment paper — Line a baking sheet with parchment paper—this is essential so the cheesy bottom releases cleanly after baking.

Assemble the Mozzarella Stick Chicken Parmesan

Breadcrumbs on baking sheet — Sprinkle a layer of the oiled breadcrumbs on the parchment, sized to fit each cutlet.

two slices of mozzarella cheese on top of breadcrumbs — Place two thin slices of mozzarella over the crumbs to form a “sheet.” Thin deli-style slices work best.

chicken cutlets on top of the cheese — Lay a pan-fried cutlet on the cheese. Then cover it with two more slices so the cutlet is “tucked in.”

Breadcrumbs on top of sliced cheese — Finish with a final sprinkle of the breadcrumb mixture over the top to create a symmetrical, crisp crust.

Bake

Placing the baking tray with the assembled chicken cutlets in the oven — Place the tray on the upper third of the preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the bottom cheese layer is nicely browned at the edges.

Prepare the Sauce

A bowl of heated marinara sauce — Heat your favorite marinara, Alfredo, vodka or pesto sauce while the cutlets finish baking. I wait to add sauce until after baking so the breadcrumbs stay crisp.

Serve

Baked chicken cutlets removed from the oven with a spatula under one of them — Let the cutlets rest 1–2 minutes. Then slide a spatula under each one—the parchment allows the crispy, caramelized cheese bottom to lift off easily.

Spatula transferring the chicken cutlet to a plate — Transfer to plates and spoon warmed sauce over each cutlet to taste.

Sprinkling Parmesan on top of the sauce — Top with extra grated Parmesan if desired.

Knife slicing through the center of the cutlet — Check doneness by slicing a cutlet: the interior should be white and juicy with no pink. If in doubt, a meat thermometer should read 165°F.

Taste Test

Yield: 4-8

Mozzarella Stick Chicken Parmesan

Prep Time
15 minutes

Cook Time
15 minutes

Total Time
30 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 cups unseasoned Panko breadcrumbs (Panko gives the best crunch)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2–3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into cutlets about 1/4–1/2 inch thick
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter
16 slices mozzarella cheese (thin deli-style slices are best); use 4 slices per cutlet
1–2 cups marinara sauce, warmed

Optional Finishes

Pasta cooked separately, to serve under the cutlets
Long sandwich roll, if you want to make a hero

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Set up three dredging stations: A—flour on a plate; B—eggs beaten in a shallow bowl; C—Panko mixed with Parmesan, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt and pepper.
Heat 1/2 cup olive oil and the butter in a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the butter melts, tilt the pan to combine and reduce heat to medium-low.
Bread the cutlets just before frying: flour, egg, then the breadcrumb mixture. Reserve leftover breadcrumbs for assembly.
Fry cutlets two at a time, flipping every 30–45 seconds until golden brown, about 4–5 minutes total with occasional flips. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining cutlets.
Add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil to the reserved breadcrumbs and mix until absorbed. Line a baking sheet with parchment. For each cutlet: sprinkle breadcrumbs to fit the footprint, place two slices of mozzarella, lay the cutlet on top, cover with two more slices of mozzarella, and finish with more breadcrumbs on top.
Bake on the upper third of the oven for about 10 minutes so the bottom cheese crisps and browns at the edges.
Heat sauce briefly in the microwave while the cutlets finish—typically 30–60 seconds until hot.
Let baked cutlets rest 1–2 minutes. Check a cutlet for doneness—the meat should be white and juicy. If needed, bake a little longer. Internal temperature should reach 165°F.
Slide a spatula under each cutlet (parchment makes this easy), plate, spoon warmed sauce over top, and add extra Parmesan if desired. Serve over pasta or in a roll for a sandwich.

Notes

Use parchment paper—foil or a bare baking sheet can cause the cheese to stick. I add sauce after baking to keep breadcrumbs crisp, but you can add sauce before baking if you prefer a saucier result. The recipe yields 4–8 servings depending on portion size; the cutlets are generous and very filling.