This Chicken Parm Sandwich Recipe is delicious and comforting, and super easy to whip up for dinner, even on a busy weeknight. These babies combine crispy chicken cutlets, melty cheese, and your favorite marinara sauce all in one delicious sandwich. Perfect for when you crave that classic chicken parmigiana flavor but want it in a handheld version. The best part? It's super easy to make right at home!
I love a good sandwich recipe during the week. They're typically easy to prepare, something I know everyone in my family will like, and can even sometimes be packed and taken on the go when we're racing around to a million different activities. This Chicken Parm Sandwich is a favorite, not only because it's so simple, but it's a total classic that screams comfort and also happens to be delicious.
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What Makes This Recipe Great
Oh, so many things! I really love this recipe. Here's why:
- Quick and easy. Breading the chicken is really the hardest part, which isn't really hard at all! Bread it, cook it, toss it in some marinara and then throw everything onto an Italian sub and pop it in the oven until the cheese is nice and melty. Totally painless!
- Italian and Panko breadcrumbs combo! I love using Panko here because it ensures the chicken cutlets get a crispy, golden-brown crust that holds up well to the marinara sauce. Mixing in some Italian breadcrumbs gives the crust a ton of flavor. (If you don't have Italian breadcrumbs, don't worry. Just add a teaspoon of my spaghetti seasoning to your breadcrumbs!)
- The melty cheese. Mozzarella and Parmesan make these chicken parmesan subs super indulgent and popping them in the broiler gives them that classic toasty finish.
Key Ingredients
You truly only need a handful of ingredients to make these Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches.
- Chicken breasts. Use boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets, pounded thin for even cooking (and to make eating these monster-sized sandwiches a bit easier!
- Flour, egg, and bread crumbs. This is your typical "coat with flour, dip in egg, coat in breadcrumbs" process, but, and this is important - be sure to use Panko breadcrumbs! They are the best for getting a nice crispy crust that won't turn soggy. I added in some Italian breadcrumbs too for some extra flavor and texture, but those aren't mandatory.
- Olive oil. Used to fry the chicken cutlets until golden brown.
- Pasta sauce. Whether you opt for tomato basil or marinara sauce, it provides the rich, tangy flavor for the chicken parm sandwich. (Personally, I love a good garlic marinara sauce here.) Make your own, or go with your favorite jarred pasta sauce to make it easy.
- Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. Of course, it wouldn’t be a chicken parmesan sandwich recipe without the Parmesan! Combined with the mozzarella, these cheeses create the perfect gooey, cheesy topping for your crispy chicken.
- French bread. You can choose French or Italian bread here - just make sure you have something that's crusty on the outside, and soft on the inside—perfect for holding everything together. I always prefer buying a big sub, but you could also use rolls.
How To Make Chicken Parm Sandwiches
These delicious chicken sandwiches are so easy to prepare! Here's how to make the BEST chicken parm sandwich.
- Prep the chicken. Begin by cutting or pounding your chicken breasts to about a ¼ inch thickness. This helps the chicken cook evenly and quickly. To do this, place the chicken between two pieces of parchment paper and use a meat mallet to pound the chicken until you have thin cutlets. If you'd rather not bother with this step, you can also ask your butcher to do it for you! Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Set up a breading station. In three separate shallow bowls, place the flour, egg wash, and a breadcrumb mixture of Italian and Panko breadcrumbs. Coat each piece of chicken in flour (shake off any excess flour here), dip into the egg mixture, and finish by pressing it into the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with all chicken pieces.
- Fry the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cutlets and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Assemble the sandwiches. Warm your pasta sauce in a separate pot. Slice a large loaf of French bread lengthwise and divide it into 4 portions. Place a piece of chicken on each slice, spoon some sauce over the top, and sprinkle with grated parmesan and shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Broil the sandwiches. Broiling the assembled sandwiches helps everything come together and gets your cheese nice and melty. Place the sandwiches open-faced on a large sheet pan and broil for 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. (Note - you may need to remove the bread for the tops of the sandwiches early so it doesn't burn - just keep an eye on it and check everything at about 2-3 minutes.) Remove the sandwiches from the oven and garnish with fresh basil for some extra flavor.
- Serve. Close the sandwich and serve warm for a delicious, easy chicken parm sandwich that’s perfect for any night of the week.
Variations And Substitutions
Feel like mixing things up? Here are some ways to do it!
- Different cheeses. I'd stick with melty, white cheeses to stay within the vein of this classic sandwich. Try a slice of provolone, or use fresh mozzarella instead of shredded, or even a touch of ricotta for a slightly different flavor. Also, I used shredded mozzarella here, but you could absolutely use a slice of mozzarella cheese if that's what you have on hand.
- Change the bread bread. Swap the French bread for hoagie rolls, ciabatta rolls, or even garlic bread.
- Sauce variations. You could easily use tomato sauce and a bit of spaghetti seasoning to whip up your own sauce. Or try something totally different like pesto for a completely new taste!
- Breadcrumbs. I think Panko breadcrumbs work the best here in terms of ensuring a nice crispy crust, but if you only have plain breadcrumbs, those are fine to use. If you don't have Italian bread crumbs, you can always just sprinkle a little Italian seasoning into the mix.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best bread for chicken parm sandwiches is something sturdy yet soft like French bread, ciabatta rolls, or hoagie rolls. These options soak up the sauce without getting too soggy and provide a great bite.
Pair your chicken parm sandwiches with a side of crispy air-fryer fries, some delicious kale chips, a fresh garden salad, or roasted vegetables (these maple brussels sprouts would be GREAT!). You can also serve the chicken cutlets on their own, with pasta tossed in marinara sauce for a complete Italian-inspired meal.
Yes! I LOVE my air fryer since it helps cut down on some of the mess in the kitchen and also always produces such crispy results. To air fry these chicken cutlets, go through the same steps of breading them. Spray the bottom of your air fryer basket with olive oil (or just lightly brush some oil onto the bottom). Add the chicken pieces in one even layer and spray the top of the chicken with a bit of oil. Air fry at 400 for 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through (at around the 7 or 8-minute mark). Easy!
I hope you love these easy Chicken Parm Sandwiches! If you try them, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think!
More Easy Sandwich Recipes
- The BEST Crispy Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Savory Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich
- Sloppy Joes On Hawaiian Bun Sliders
- Easy Fried Chicken Sandwiches
- Copycat Tunacado
- Chopped Italian Subs
- Salmon BLTs On Ciabatta Buns
- Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches
Recipe
Easy Chicken Parm Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breast cut or pounded to a ¼ inch thickness and divided into 4-6 portions
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup flour
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cup pasta sauce (tomato basil or marinara are good options)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- fresh basil leaves torn
- 1 loaf French bread
Instructions
- If you’re starting with thick cuts of chicken, you'll need to pound them into ¼ inch cutlets. Place the chicken between two pieces of parchment paper on a cutting board and use a kitchen mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken to about a ¼ inch thickness. Season the chicken on both sides with the salt and pepper.
- Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in three separate shallow bowls. Ensure the bowls are large enough for you to dip the chicken breasts into easily. Dip each chicken breast first into the flour, then the eggs, then the panko mixture, then set aside. Repeat with all chicken pieces.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cutlets to the pan and fry until golden brown on each side (about 4-5 minutes per side).
- In a separate pot, warm the pasta sauce. Add the chicken pieces to the sauce. Turn on your broiler.
- Assemble your sandwiches. Slice the French bread in half lengthwise, then slice into four separate portions.
- Add a piece of chicken to each sandwich, and spoon some of the sauce over the top. Sprinkle each sandwich with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
- Place all sandwiches open-faced on a large baking tray and broil for 4-5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.
- Remove the sandwiches from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil. Add the top slice of bread to the sandwiches and serve.
Notes
- These sandwiches are best served fresh.
- If you have leftovers, store the chicken and sauce separately in the fridge if possible. Then use them later for new sandwiches or add some pasta for a new meal! If you have leftover sandwiches store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat on a baking tray in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is warm.
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