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An easy chicken parmesan recipe for two that is perfect for weeknight meals. Tender chicken breasts baked with fresh bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, then topped with pasta sauce and mozzarella.
Cooking for two can definitely be a challenge. If you’re like me, you’re probably still in the habit of cooking for a full table. Old routines are hard to break! I’ve tried to scale things back, but it’s not always easy. That’s why I love recipes like this Chicken Parmesan…simple, portioned just right, and still every bit as comforting as the version made for a crowd.
Why you will love this Chicken Parmigiana!
- Perfect for weeknights…ready in under an hour from start to finish.
- Made with simple, pantry staples. No unusual ingredients required.
- Just the right amount for two, but easy to double if needed.
- A no-fuss version of classic chicken parmesan that’s quick and delicious.
- Full of flavor and always a hit!
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: if using frozen chicken breasts, it’s best to thaw them in the refrigerator before baking.
- Light mayonnaise: any kind of mayo can be used…I use the Light version to save a few calories!
- Bread crumbs: fresh bread crumbs are delicious, but store-bought Panko bread crumbs or Italian bread crumbs work just as well.
- Parmesan cheese: the finely shredded variety.
- Seasonings: garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Pasta: any kind of pasta is good. Some suggestions are angel hair, spaghetti, rotini, or penne.
- Marinara: use what you have on hand! Any kind, homemade or from the grocery, will work.
- Mozzarella cheese: freshly shredded mozzarella is the perfect topping to the chicken and sauce.
- Fresh herbs: basil or parsley work great!
Choosing the chicken breasts
Try to use fresh, organic chicken breasts if possible…but keep in mind that they can be quite thick. To help them bake evenly, slice each breast in half lengthwise so they’re about 1 inch thick. Another option is to gently pound them with a meat mallet until they reach an even thickness. You can also use chicken tenders for this recipe. They work well, but they cook faster, so be sure to keep an eye on the oven and adjust the baking time as needed
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
- Place chicken breasts on cookie sheet.
- Brush chicken breasts with Hellman’s. Turn and repeat.
- Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper according to your taste.
- In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and garlic powder.
- Toss gently with a fork.
- Using your hands, generously sprinkle bread crumb mixture on top of chicken breasts.
- Press the bread crumbs into the top and sides of the chicken breasts.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- While chicken is in the oven, cook pasta according to package directions.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce and toss the remaining cup with the cooked pasta. Cover to keep warm.
- Remove chicken from the oven. Top with reserved 1/2 cup of pasta sauce and shredded mozzarella.
- Return chicken to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted and is slightly golden brown.
- Garnish chicken with fresh parsley or basil. Serve with pasta.
Tips + Substitutions
- All of the measurements in this recipe can be adjusted to suit your taste. It’s one of those forgiving dishes that turns out well even without exact measuring. Use as much sauce and cheese as you like. There’s no right or wrong way to do it.
- Traditional chicken parmesan recipes often call for dredging the chicken in flour, egg, and bread crumbs. This version skips those steps, making it much easier and less messy. Using Hellmann’s mayonnaise keeps the chicken moist and adds a subtle, delicious flavor that pairs perfectly with the crispy topping.
- If the chicken starts to brown too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with a piece of foil. This helps prevent over-browning while still allowing it to cook through.
- Gluten-Free: to make a gluten free version of this chicken parmesan recipe, simply substitute gluten free panko crumbs for the regular bread crumbs, and substitute gluten free pasta for the regular pasta.
- The marinara sauce can be swapped out with tomato sauce.
- Provolone cheese can be substituted for the mozzarella.
- Melted butter can be substituted for the olive oil.
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FAQ’s
Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe for Two
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (about 1 inch thick)
- 1/4 cup Hellman's Light Mayonnaise
- 1 cup bread crumbs (fresh or panko)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- 6 oz. pasta
- 12 oz. pasta sauce (marinara)
- shredded mozzarella
- fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
- Place chicken breasts on cookie sheet.
- Brush chicken breasts with Hellman's. Turn and repeat.
- Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper according to your taste.
- In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and garlic powder.
- Toss gently with a fork.
- Using your hands, generously sprinkle bread crumb mixture on top of chicken breasts.
- Press the bread crumbs into the top and sides of the chicken breasts.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- While chicken is in the oven, cook pasta according to package directions.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce and toss the remaining cup with the cooked pasta. Cover to keep warm.
- Remove chicken from the oven. Top with reserved 1/2 cup of pasta sauce and shredded mozzarella.
- Return chicken to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted and is slightly golden brown.
- Garnish chicken with fresh parsley or basil. Serve with pasta.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make this baked chicken parmesan recipe, and love it, please come back to leave a comment and a 5-star review. I would really appreciate it, and it would help me so much. Thank you!
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We had the chicken parm for Sundsy lunch. Delicious, would not make any changes. Love Ann’s recipes.
Made this recipe tonight for dinner. It was really good, definitely a keeper!
Ann, it looks delicious. I will definitely try it. Thank you.
Thank you, Ann! I am always looking for adjustable recipes that I can make for myself. This sounds delicious!
Pinned, and going to make this for sure. I like that it’s a less fattening version of chicken parm. And easy – that’s my speed! Keep the recipes for two coming!
This was so easy and delicious.
I recently made the Parmesan Chicken for two… it was Delicious and so easy, thanks very much for another time saving idea for dinner.
Thanks for the great recipes, Ann. I am going to try them all. This one is a winner. We loved it. It’s great to have recipes for 2. You are correct. It is hard to come up with a recipe for 2 sometimes I start out with something I made for the whole family and we have much to much!! I am going to try all of these recipes in this post.
Ann,
this was FABULOUS!!!!!!! The only thing I might do different is use Italian seasoned crumbs!!! So quick and so easy and restaurant quality!!!! Thanks for your daily dose of happiness. Can’t wait for more just for 2 recipes.
My husband frequently orders this at restaurants. Your recipe looks delicious and very easy. I can’t wait to try it.
Thank You Ann love your recipes the recipe for strawberry butter is my favorite. And always looking forward to your decorating style as well Christmas is coming and looking forward to what’s next….
This was really good and easy. I used avocado mayo and my own homemade dried fine bread crumbs. I also used less cheese and spaghetti squash instead of pasta to keep it light since we decided to have some homemade bread with it. I will definitely make again!!
I would absolutely recommend this recipe! In fact it is good enough for company! My husband is a pasta lover but he absolutely said this should be a staple!!!
Ann, thanks for another great recipe! This will definitely be on our menu this week!
Have a wonderful week! Thanks for all you do for us!
This is one of my favorite dishes that I have been doing for many years.Although I make it a bit different, still so yummy.We like leftovers so I make enough for several meals.
Almost all of my recipes are from when I had six children at home! Now that it is just the two of us, it means scaling down though my husband doesn’t mind leftovers at all. Thanks for this recipe. I can’t wait to try it. It looks delicious.
Ann, This looks wonderful! I am going to try it out for this week’s menu. I also have a very hard time adjusting down to just the two of us and still have a great meal. l I did buy an awesome little casserole dish that’s just enough for two with a little leftover. It really helped to ensure the right size portion without having to eat the same thing for a week. Keep them coming!
I love your recipes! more recipes for two would be great!
I just made Chicken Parm for my husband and I last week. Used chicken tenders and it was a hit. Used the leftovers for subs using ciabatta rolls one night and another meal from the leftover spaghetti. We are celebrating our 53rd anniversery next weekend so I have cooked along of meals! Thanks for your great recipes.
Happy Anniversary to both of you!!!! This recipe sounds great and I’ve made similar but will be trying in next few days…. Thanks for sharing your wonderful review.
I also make chicken breast (same prep as your recipe) and lay on fresh chopped spinach and top the last 5-10 minutes with a chunk of fresh mozzarella cheese. Could also be rolled/tied before cooking. Make a white sauce using chicken broth and half/half. Serve with additional fresh spinach act the table. Good company meal!