No-fry chicken parm is cheesy, saucy and easy to prepare

Chicken parm is an Italian American classic. Traditionally featuring thin chicken cutlets that are breaded and fried until golden, nestled in tomato sauce, and covered with a blanket of cheese, it’s got a whole lot to love. I order it often when out at red-sauce joints, but as anyone who’s prepared it themselves knows, it can be a hassle to make at home.

Enter my streamlined, weeknight-friendly chicken parm for when you want all the flavor and comfort of the dish with much less effort.

Whether you call it parmigiana, Parmesan or simply parm, the chicken iteration is based on eggplant parm, which is believed to have originated in southern Italy around the 18th century. Though one translation of “eggplant parmigiana” could be “eggplant in the style of Parma,” a city in northern Italy, some culinary historians assert that the name is in reference to the cheese produced there. Immigrants brought the dish with them to the United States, and after chicken became a much more prominent part of the American diet after World War II, it took the place of the original eggplant, giving us the chicken parmigiana we know and love today.

More standard versions of the recipe start by pounding boneless, skinless chicken breasts until thin. Next, the chicken takes a dip in flour, egg and breadcrumbs before getting fried until golden brown. Then comes the tomato sauce and cheese before a trip to the oven for the components to meld.

One of the downsides to this style of chicken parm is the number of dishes it dirties. And although there is something delightful that happens when the breadcrumbs combine with the sauce to become greater than the sum of their parts, it feels like a bit of a waste to go through the trouble of frying the chicken until crisp only for that texture to be destroyed.

To counter all that, my version starts by keeping the boneless, skinless chicken breasts intact. They’re seasoned simply with salt and pepper and seared without a coating until browned, then you build the rest of the dish all in the same skillet. In goes the marinara sauce followed by the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, then panko flavored with garlic powder and dried herbs. (If you use a jar of your favorite store-bought marinara sauce, the recipe becomes even more pantry-friendly.)

The finished dish delivers all the comfort and flavors of the original but with fewer steps and with breadcrumbs that stay crisp. Serve it with pasta or garlic bread, and perhaps a side salad or steamed vegetables, and you’ve got the makings of a fine meal.

This No-Fry Chicken Parm embodies many of the traits I champion: It’s efficient, comforting and flavorful. (It also includes one of my favorite ingredients, garlic powder!) Consider this recipe my gift to you — and I look forward to helping you continue to become a better cook for many years to come.

•••

No-Fry Chicken Parm

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 pounds total)

Fine salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup panko

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, homemade or store-bought

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2½ cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought (one 24-ounce jar)

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded, low-moisture mozzarella cheese (whole-milk or part-skim)

½ cup (1¾ ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F.

In a large (12-inch), oven-safe nonstick, stainless-steel or enameled cast-iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering.

Pat the chicken dry, sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side. (The chicken may not be fully cooked at this point.) Remove from the heat.

In a small bowl, stir together the panko, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until evenly combined.

Pour the marinara sauce on top of the chicken, sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, top with the panko mixture, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the thickest part of each breast should register at least 165°F.) Serve hot, family-style.

Servings: 4

Active time: 25 minutes. Total time: 40 minutes.

Substitutions: For chicken breasts, use chicken thighs, pork cutlets, veal cutlets, slabs of tofu or portobello mushroom caps. For panko, use other breadcrumbs (plain or seasoned; if seasoned, omit the Italian seasoning and garlic powder). Dairy-free? Use nondairy cheese. Gluten-free? Use gluten-free panko or breadcrumbs.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Nutritional information per serving: 701 calories, 37 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 24 g carbohydrates, 873 mg sodium, 199 mg cholesterol, 65 g protein, 4 g fiber, 6 g sugar.

— Aaron Hutcherson