A delicious dinner for cheese lovers, Parmesan Chicken Mozzarella features chicken breasts stuffed with mozzarella, coated in breadcrumbs and pan-fried until crisp. The breasts are then baked in the oven on a simple garlic, basil and tomato sauce and finished with grated parmesan.
Serve with pasta, sautéed potatoes, chips or a fresh salad for a satisfying meal.
What is Parmesan Chicken?
Parmesan chicken, originally an Italian dish, consists of breaded chicken breasts baked in tomato sauce with mozzarella and/or parmesan. It’s commonly called Chicken Parmigiana, Chicken Parma, Chicken Parm, Parmi or Chicken Mozzarella and is now popular around the world.
This version is stuffed with mozzarella for an extra cheesy centre and finished with parmesan for a crisp, savoury topping.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Parmesan Chicken Mozzarella
Chicken breasts are sliced to form a pocket, filled with grated mozzarella, coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, lightly fried to crisp the coating, then baked on a homemade tomato, garlic and basil sauce and finished with parmesan.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 150 g grated mozzarella
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 100 g breadcrumbs (Panko, golden or a mix)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 300 g passata
- 4 tbsp tomato & garlic puree
- 3 tbsp fresh chopped basil (or 2 tsp dried)
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
- Salt and black pepper
Serve with: spaghetti, salad, sautéed potatoes or chips.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / 400°F / Gas mark 6. Slice each chicken breast lengthwise to form a pocket, taking care not to cut through.
- Fill each pocket with a handful of grated mozzarella and fold the top back over to enclose the cheese.
- Prepare three bowls: flour, whisked egg, and breadcrumbs. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each stuffed breast in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs to coat completely.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and shallow-fry the breaded breasts for about 3 minutes per side to crisp the coating — you are not cooking them through at this stage.
- In an ovenproof dish, combine passata, tomato and garlic puree, chopped basil, salt and pepper; stir to form a sauce.
- Place the fried chicken breasts on top of the sauce and sprinkle evenly with grated parmesan. If you prefer, add extra mozzarella for more cheesiness. Cover the dish with foil to prevent the cheese from burning.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, depending on breast size. Smaller breasts may need 20–25 minutes. Use a thermometer if unsure — the internal temperature should reach 74°C / 165°F.
- Serve the chicken on top of spaghetti or alongside your chosen side dish. Spoon the tomato sauce over the chicken and finish with a final sprinkle of parmesan and fresh basil if desired.
Notes and Tips
- For the stuffing you can use grated mozzarella or slices of buffalo mozzarella.
- Breadcrumbs: white, golden or panko all work; mixing gives a great texture.
- Try adding a slice of ham inside with the mozzarella for a variation similar to a classic Chicken Parma.
- To make the sauce garlicky, use a tomato & garlic puree; adjust basil amounts if using dried herbs (use half the quantity).
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values: Calories 621 kcal, Carbohydrates 36 g, Protein 66 g, Fat 22 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Cholesterol 258 mg, Sodium 771 mg, Potassium 1273 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 11 g, Calcium 303 mg, Iron 4 mg.
This recipe was originally posted on 29/12/2019 and updated with extra guidance on 17/07/2024. The method remains faithful to traditional Parmesan Chicken but with mozzarella stuffed inside for an extra melty centre.
How to stuff chicken breasts with mozzarella
Slicing the breast to make a pocket and adding a generous handful of grated mozzarella (or a slice of buffalo mozzarella) is the easiest way to create a gooey centre. Fold the top back over the cheese before breading.
Breaded Chicken
Coat the stuffed breasts in flour, egg and breadcrumbs for a crisp finish. Shallow-fry just to set and brown the crust before finishing in the oven.
Make a quick sauce from passata, tomato puree and chopped basil. The basil can be fresh or dried (use half the amount if dried). Place the crisped chicken on the sauce, sprinkle with parmesan and bake covered until cooked through.
Cooking chicken parmesan
Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) / 400°F / Gas mark 6. Large breasts may need about 30 minutes; smaller breasts about 20–25 minutes. Check with a thermometer for 74°C / 165°F internal temperature.
What to serve with mozzarella chicken parmigiana?
Classic choices are spaghetti or other pasta. You can also serve with salad, roasted or sautéed potatoes, rice, couscous, chips or roasted vegetables. A sprinkle of fresh basil and extra parmesan at the table elevates the dish.
Variations
Try adding a slice of ham inside with the mozzarella or swap the mozzarella for a stronger cheese such as mature cheddar or blue cheese for a different flavour profile.
More Cheese Recipes
If you enjoy cheesy dishes, try other recipes that pair well with the same flavour profile, such as stuffed pasta or baked pasta bakes.