Crispy Baked Chicken Parmesan (Printable Copy)

Tender chicken strips baked with Parmesan crust, served fry-style with marinara and ranch dips.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Breading

04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1 tablespoon milk
07 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
10 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
11 - Cooking spray or 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Dips

12 - 1 cup marinara sauce, warmed
13 - 1/2 cup ranch dressing

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray or olive oil.
02 - Slice chicken breasts into 1/2-inch wide strips resembling fries. Season each strip with salt and pepper.
03 - Arrange three shallow bowls in a line: place flour in the first bowl, beat eggs with milk in the second bowl, and combine panko, Parmesan, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning in the third bowl.
04 - Dredge each chicken strip in flour, shake off excess, dip into the egg mixture, then coat thoroughly with the panko-Parmesan mixture.
05 - Place the breaded strips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray or drizzle with olive oil for enhanced crispiness.
06 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through cooking, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
07 - Transfer the hot chicken strips to a serving plate. Arrange warm marinara sauce and ranch dressing in separate bowls alongside for dipping.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and fried but actually comes straight from the oven with a fraction of the guilt.
  • Kids actually eat their protein without negotiation, and adults keep sneaking extra strips from the platter.
  • The setup feels almost meditative, and you'll have golden-brown perfection in under 45 minutes flat.
02 -
  • If you skip the parchment paper, the bottoms will stick no matter how much you grease, and you'll spend 10 minutes scraping with regret.
  • The halfway flip is non-negotiable; it's the difference between crispy and unevenly cooked, and checking at 12 minutes helps you catch it at the perfect moment.
  • Don't let the breaded strips sit too long on the sheet before baking, or the breading absorbs moisture and loses its crunch.
03 -
  • Keep your breading hand and your wet hand separate so you don't end up with gummy clumps of panko coating everything.
  • A meat thermometer reading 74°C (165°F) is your real finish line, not the color alone, because golden can be deceiving.
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