Regular chicken parm is delicious but let’s elevate it! It on a straightforward marinara, but swapping in a rosé sauce changes everything. The heavy cream mellows out the acidity of the tomatoes and gives the sauce a richer, silkier texture. Finished with fresh mozzarella, parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Serve with pasta, of course.
I make this chicken parm when I want a restaurant-style crunch without actually frying up a huge mess on my stovetop. Okay, there’s still some frying (and mess) involved, but it’s contained to one pan and done in batches while the sauce simmers. And, it’s so worth it! The rosé sauce comes together quickly, so by the time the chicken’s breaded and ready to fry, the sauce just needs a stir and a taste. This works great for a weeknight and for company you want to impress. Want more chicken dinners you’ll want to make on repeat? Try my Caesar Chicken Cutlets or Honey Mustard Chicken.
😍 Why You’ll Love This Chicken Parm with Creamy Rosé
A sauce that stands out: the heavy cream turns a basic marinara into a richer sauce, so it doesn’t just taste like tomato sauce with cheese on top.
Extra crispy coating: combining Italian breadcrumbs with panko gives the chicken a crunchier, more textured crust than breadcrumbs alone.
Simple ingredients with big payoff: everything here is easy to find at a regular grocery store, but the result tastes like a restaurant dish.
Great for feeding a crowd: this recipe makes six cutlets, so it’s easy to scale up for a dinner party or family meal.
🍅 Ingredients You’ll Need To Make This Chicken Parm with Creamy Rosé
For the Creamy Rosé Sauce:
Olive oil: used to sauté the onion and garlic and build the base flavour.
Yellow onion: softens and sweetens as it cooks.
Garlic: adds warmth and depth to the sauce as it simmers.
Crushed tomatoes: the foundation of the sauce, so use a good quality jar or can for the best flavour.
Heavy cream: stirred in at the end to turn the tomato base into a smooth, rosé-coloured sauce.
Red pepper flakes: adds a small amount of heat that balances the cream.
Oregano: for a warm, herby flavour to the sauce as it simmers.
Salt: balances the acidity of the tomatoes; add to taste.
Fresh basil leaf: infuses the whole pot with a subtle sweetness.
For the Chicken:
Vegetable or canola oil: use enough that each one is about halfway submerged.
Chicken breasts: sliced in half horizontally into thin cutlets so they cook quickly and evenly.
Seasoned Italian breadcrumbs: gives it a classic, well-seasoned coating.
Panko breadcrumbs: combined with the Italian breadcrumbs for extra crunch in the crust.
Parmesan cheese: adds salty, nutty flavour throughout.
Fresh mozzarella: melted over each cutlet at the end for that classic gooey, cheesy top layer.
Eggs: whisked with milk to make the egg wash that helps the coating stick.
Milk: loosens the egg wash slightly for a more even coating.
Fresh Italian parsley: mixed into the breadcrumb coating for a hit of freshness.
Garlic powder: adds savoury depth to the breadcrumb coating.
Onion powder: adds savoury depth coating as well.
Salt and pepper: seasons both the chicken and the breadcrumb coating.
Fresh basil: to garnish the finished dish.
✔ How To Make Chicken Parm with Creamy Rosé
Prepare the creamy rosé sauce: heat a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Once warm, add the olive oil. When the oil is heated, add the diced yellow onion and garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the red pepper flakes and oregano, and cook for one more minute.
Add the crushed tomatoes and basil leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to combine. Let the sauce simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in the heavy cream and salt to taste. Adjust as needed.Let it cook for 2 to 3 more minutes until slightly thickened. While the sauce is simmering, prepare the chicken.
Prepare the chicken: slice each chicken breast in half horizontally. Place each piece between sheets of parchment paper and pound to 1/4-inch thickness. You want them thin so they fry quickly. Repeat with all pieces to make 6 cutlets total.
Season both sides of the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Set aside. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside. In a second shallow bowl, combine the seasoned Italian breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, 1 cup of parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to mix evenly. Dip each cutlet into the egg mixture, coat completely, let excess drip off, then press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture on both sides until well coated. Repeat with all cutlets, then set aside.
Fry the cutlets: before you start frying, set a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Grab a large frying pan and set to medium high heat then add your frying oil. You want enough oil so that each cutlet is about halfway submerged, not floating. Test the heat with a wooden spoon, if you see steady bubbles around it, you’re ready to fry. Lay each cutlet into the oil, away from yourself and cook about 2-3 minutes per side until they’re deep golden and crisp. Avoid over crowding the pan, work in batches as needed. Transfer the cutlets to the wire rack and salt them lightly right away.
Finish: evenly spoon the creamy rosé over each cutlet, top each with a slice of fresh mozzarella, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of parmesan cheese evenly across all 6 cutlets. Broil for 1-2 minutes, just until the mozzarella melts and turns a light golden color. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!
🗒 Variations
Baked instead of fried: arrange the breaded cutlets on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with a little oil, and bake at 425°F for 18 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway, before topping with sauce and cheese and broiling as directed.
Spicier rosé: increase the red pepper flakes or add a pinch of crushed calabrian chilies to the sauce for more heat.
Different cheese: swap the fresh mozzarella for provolone or a low-moisture shredded mozzarella if you prefer.
Serve it over pasta: toss the finished cutlets with your favourite pasta and extra rosé sauce.
🗒 Substitutions
Heavy cream: half-and-half can work in a pinch, though the sauce will be slightly less rich and thick.
Seasoned Italian breadcrumbs: plain breadcrumbs mixed with a little extra garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano make a good substitute.
Fresh mozzarella: a good melting cheese like provolone or shredded low-moisture mozzarella can be used instead.
Frying oil: a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like avocado oil, can work
🍴 Leftovers? Lucky you.
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat the cutlets in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes, or in an air fryer for 4 to 5 minutes, to help keep the coating crisp. Microwaving works too, but the crust will soften.
🤔 FAQ’S
Can I bake the chicken instead of frying it?
Yes. Arrange the breaded cutlets on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle lightly with oil, and bake at 425°F for 18 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Add the sauce and cheese and broil as directed once they’re out of the oven.
Can I make the rosé sauce ahead of time?
The sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat it gently on the stovetop before spooning it over the cutlets so it’s warm when it hits the chicken.
Why is my breading falling off the chicken?
This usually happens when the cutlets go straight from the egg wash into hot oil without enough contact time in the breadcrumbs. Press the coating firmly onto both sides of each cutlet, and let the breaded cutlets rest for a few minutes before frying so the coating has a chance to set.
What should I serve with this chicken parm?
It’s great over pasta with extra rosé sauce spooned on top, alongside a simple green salad with vinaigrette, or with crusty bread on the side for scooping up any leftover sauce.
Can I freeze the leftovers?
The fried cutlets can be frozen before the sauce and cheese are added. Let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven at 375°F until warmed through, then top with sauce and cheese and broil as directed.
👩🍳 Hungry For More?
If you loved this Chicken Parm recipe, then make sure to check out a few of my other recipes you may also love:
- Eggplant Parmigiana
- Caesar Chicken Cutlets
- Chicken Marsala Recipe
- Lemon Chicken Orzo
- Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
- Lemon Caesar Yogurt Marinated Chicken
💌 Let’s Stay Connected
Keep in touch with me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Pinterest! If you do make this easy Chicken Parm recipe (or any recipe of mine) don’t forget to leave a review.
Chicken Parm with Creamy Rosé
Equipment
- 1 Large frying pan
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 wire rack
Ingredients
Creamy Rosé Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 680ml jar/can crushed tomatoes, about 3½ cups
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, 33%
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- salt to taste
- 1 large fresh basil leaf
Chicken
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil, to fry the cutlets
- 4 large chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally, to make 8 cutlets total
- 1/2 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 cups parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 8 pieces fresh mozzarella
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- pinch of salt and pepper
- fresh basil, to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the creamy rosé sauce: heat a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Once warm, add the olive oil. When the oil is heated, add the shallot and garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the red pepper flakes and oregano, and cook for another minute.Add the crushed tomatoes and fresh basil leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to combine. Let the sauce simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in the heavy cream and salt to taste. Adjust as needed. Let it cook for 2 to 3 more minutes until slightly thickened. While the sauce is simmering, prepare the chicken.
- Prepare the chicken: slice each chicken breast in half horizontally. Place each piece between sheets of parchment paper and pound to 1/4-inch thickness. You want them thin so they fry quickly. Repeat with all pieces to make 8 cutlets total. Season both sides of the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Set aside. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside. In a second shallow bowl, combine the seasoned Italian breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, 1 cup of parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to mix evenly. Dip each cutlet into the egg mixture, coat completely, let excess drip off, then press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture on both sides until well coated. Repeat with all cutlets, then set aside.
- Fry the cutlets: before you start frying, set a wire rack on top of a lined baking sheet. Grab a large frying pan and set to medium high heat then add your frying oil. You want enough oil so that each cutlet is about halfway submerged, not floating. Test the heat with a wooden spoon, if you see steady bubbles around it, you're ready to fry. Lay each cutlet into the oil, away from yourself and cook about 2-3 minutes per side until they're golden and crisp. Avoid over crowding the pan, work in batches as needed. Transfer the cutlets to the wire rack and salt them lightly right away.
- Finish: evenly spoon the creamy rosé over each cutlet, top each with a slice of fresh mozzarella, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of parmesan cheese evenly across all 8 cutlets. Broil for 1-2 minutes, just until the mozzarella melts and turns a light golden color.Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My family loved this!