Baked Chicken Marinara
The Best Baked Chicken Marinara recipe is made with breaded chicken topped with a tomato basil marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese!
I love finding new ways to sass up a family favourite meal. Especially when it’s an easy recipe.
Take the classic Chicken Parmesan for instance. When I make this dish, I use whatever spaghetti or pasta sauce that I have on hand. Yet, I really have to spice it up to make it robust.
A while back I had a jar of Marinara sauce to use up {from making my Zucchini Fries recipe}, and thought it would make a killer sauce for Breaded and Baked Chicken – score!
The flavour in this Baked Chicken Marinara recipe is THE BOMB. It’s the perfect weeknight meal.
So if you are looking for easy dinner ideas, I got you!
The whole family said it’s ‘better than our favourite pasta restaurant’.
In fact, the kids requested it again just a few days later for another weeknight dinner. Even the picky eaters!
I am a complete pasta-lover, so it’s no surprise that this has become one of my favourite recipes – ever.
Follow the recipe, complete with my tips to make one of our favorite recipes a success.
I’m sure it’s going to be your new favorite dish as well, and your go-to dinner often.
What’s the difference between chicken marinara and chicken parmesan?
They are quite similar, yet not exactly the same. Chicken parmesan is typically breaded and fried and typically uses a tomato sauce. This recipe is baked not fried and uses a marinara sauce instead.
Ingredients Required
This easy recipe takes simple ingredients. As always the full steps for making easy chicken marinara are on the printable recipe card at the end of the post.
- boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half to make thinner chicken cutlets
- breadcrumbs or panko bread crumbs
- parmesan cheese
- dried oregano
- melted butter, or olive oil
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- marinara sauce
- fresh basil for garnish, optional but recommended
How to Make this Recipe
Preheat oven to 450° and spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. You can also line a baking sheet with parchment paper instead.
Have the pan right next to what will be the breading station, or the assembly line to coat the chicken and place on pan. You will want both at arms reach.
Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and oregano in a shallow bowl or deep plate. Melt the butter in a seperate bowl or deep plate.
Dip the chicken into the butter and then into the breadcrumb mixture, coating all sides of the chicken.
Place coated chicken on prepared baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces placing them in a spaced single layer.
Cook for 20 minutes, turning over if desired at 10 minutes.
For best results, use a meat thermometer to be certain the baked chicken breasts are cooked. The internal temperature of the chicken should be at least 165 degrees.
Remove the golden brown crispy chicken from the oven, and spoon marinara sauce on top of the chicken. Then top each with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Place the baking dish back in the oven and cook for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Top with fresh chopped basic, Italian seasoning, or additional parmesan cheese (optional), and serve.
What to Serve with Marinara Chicken
We love to serve our favorite recipe with pasta such as cooked angel hair pasta, penne pasta, fettuccini or spaghetti. A side salad and garlic bread are always great options as well.
This tasty meal is great for special occasions to an easy weeknight meal.
Chicken Marinara Sauce Recipe
Marinara is a simple sauce seasoned only with garlic, crushed red pepper and basil. The seasoning for homemade marinara sauce is more robust and flavourful than a tomato sauce.
Tomato sauce (typically used in a chicken parm recipe)contains way more ingredients including vegetables and usually salt pork so the seasonings are more muted.
Storage
Place leftovers in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
If you have leftovers for the next day, just add more marinara sauce to the bottom of a deep dish and re-bake until a desired temp has been reached.
When it’s done re-heating, I add more cheese to the top and bake uncovered until it melts. Yes, I said even more cheese. How could you not?
More Pasta Dishes
- Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan
- One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo Pasta
- Slow Cooker Baked Ziti
- Baked Feta Pasta with Chicken – TikTok Recipe
- Chicken and Spinach Pasta Casserole
Baked Chicken Marinara
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breast (sliced in half to make 8)
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
- 2 tsp Oregano
- 3 tbsp Butter (or olive oil, melted)
- 3/4 cup Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)
- 1 1/2 cup Marinara Sauce
- Fresh chopped Basil for garnish {optional but recommended}
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450° and spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and oregano in a shallow bowl or deep plate
- Melt the butter in another shallow bowl or deep plate
- Dip the chicken into the butter and then into the dry mixture.
- Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
- Cook for 20 minutes, turning over if desired at 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and spoon marinara sauce over each piece of chicken and top each with preferred amount of mozzarella cheese
- Place back in the over and cook for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted
- Serve warm oven cooked pasta noodles with a sprinkle of Basil
Notes
~The chopped basil is optional yet it does give a really nice flavour to the meal, I would personally make a trip to the store to get some if necessary, I very much like what it adds to the dish
Nutrition
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Simple and delicious- a great combination!
yum looks good, thank you
Oh that looks wonderful. We love pasta in our house and this looks like an awesome recipe.
It is SOO delicious!!
I’m so making this soon! YUM!
Hubby loves veal parm but it is so expensive. Chicken has a nice texture and gives the parm flavour that he loves. I am stuck with my own recipe but I am giving this one a shot. Thank you.
Enjoy Debbie, I think he’ll love it!
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This sounds really good, I just pinned it. Will definitely be on the menu once we get through the holidays! Love Chicken Parm!
omg this looks so good.. I think I’m going to make this soon
When your family love, you know it’s a winner. Thanks for another great recipe Tammi!
YES!! So very true!
Looks yummy, now I’m craving pasta.
I’m constantly craving pasta! Mmmm pasta!
Oh this looks amazing, thank you so much for sharing! I guess I know what’s dinner tomorrow night!
Let me know what you think once you’ve tried it Darlene!
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omg totally making this!!!
This recipe combines all of my favorites, printing it off for the weekend. Thanks!
🙂 Mine too!!
Sounds simple but delicious. A good way to get me to eat chicken breast for sure.
Looks amazing except I would go with unbreaded chicken!
Easy enough to alter for preference!!
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Looks delicious!!