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parmesan chicken sandwich on chopping board surrounded by basil, parmesan and ciabatta

Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

This Chicken Parmesan Sandwich is crispy, juicy, cheesy and delicious. It's super filling and easy to make!
5 from 5 votes
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Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Italian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings (click & slide): 4 sandwiches
Calories per serving: 810kcal
Author: Chris
Cost per serving: £2.50 / $3

Equipment

  • Large Pan & Wooden Spoon (for marinara sauce)
  • Rolling Pin/Mallet & Cling Film (for pounding chicken)
  • 3 Shallow Dishes (for dredging chicken)
  • Tongs (for frying chicken)
  • Small Pot (for chicken seasoning)
  • Large Baking Tray
  • Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
  • Fine Cheese Grater

Ingredients

Marinara Sauce

  • 1x 25oz/700g jar of Tomato Passata (pureed/strained tomatoes in US)
  • 8 large Basil Leaves, finely diced
  • 1 medium White Onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
  • Sugar, Salt & Pepper, to taste

Chicken Sandwich

  • 4 large Ciabatta Rolls, halved & toasted (see notes)
  • 4x 5oz/150g Chicken Breasts (see notes)
  • 1 cup / 250ml Vegetable Oil, or as needed
  • 1 1/4cups / 75g Panko Breadcrumbs (see notes)
  • 2/3 cup / 50g freshly grated Parmesan, plus 4 sprinkles extra to add at the end
  • 1/3 cup / 70g Plain Flour
  • 7oz / 200g Fresh Mozzarella, sliced into rounds (pat dry if there's excess moisture)
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
  • tiny Basil Leaves, to serve (or more finely diced large leaves)

Chicken Seasoning

  • 1 tsp EACH: Salt, Garlic Powder
  • 3/4 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Marinara Sauce: Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add in onion and fry until it begins to soften/brown, then add in garlic and fry for 1-2mins more. Pour in passata and swill the jar/carton with a splash of water. Add basil and oregano, then add a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper (all to taste). Give it a stir then turn heat to low and gently simmer for 20-25mins, or until it's nice and thick. This is important to intensify the flavour and reduce down the sauce.
  • Pound Chicken: Add chicken breast to a chopping board, lay over cling film and pinch around the edges (to prevent moisture from escaping). Bash with a rolling pin, mallet or heavy pan until even thickness. You want it fairly thin, but not so much it begins to break apart. Around 1/2" is fine.
  • Chicken Seasoning: In a small pot combine 1 tsp salt and garlic powder, alongside 3/4 tsp dried oregano and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
  • Dredge Chicken: Line up 3 bowls - the first is flour with half the chicken seasoning stirred in, the 2nd is 2 beaten eggs and the 3rd is Panko, parmesan and the rest of your seasoning. Coat the chicken in the flour, then into the egg and finish with a coating of the parmesan panko. Ensure the chicken is thoroughly coated at each stage, especially in the Panko.
  • Fry Chicken (see notes for baking option): Heat up 1 cup oil over medium heat in a large skillet, or enough to cover around half the chicken. You want the oil around 350F/180C (drop a few crumbs in to test if they rapidly bubble). Carefully place chicken in 2 breasts at a time and fry for 4-5mins on each side, or until golden on the outside and white through the centre.
  • Chicken Sandwich: Place fried chicken on top of the bottom ciabatta halves. Spread over a few dollops of marinara sauce, then top with mozzarella and finish with a pinch of parmesan. Place under the grill and broil until golden/gooey.
  • Serve: Sprinkle over fresh basil, then add the second ciabatta half and tuck in. Use leftover marinara sauce as a dip (optional).

Quick Demo

Notes

a) Chicken - You want the chicken breasts fairly small, just so they fit in the sandwich. I like to pound the chicken because it tenderizes the meat. But you could also use 2 large chicken breasts and horizontally slice in half to create 4 even sized breasts if you prefer.
b) Ciabatta - To toast the ciabatta just drizzle in extra virgin olive oil and either toast in a scorching hot griddle pan or place under the grill and broil until crispy. Important to toast the bread before adding the chicken parmesan otherwise it'll go soggy.
c) Panko - Panko breadcrumbs are great because they're big and airy, meaning the chicken comes out ultra crispy. You'll find Panko breadcrumbs in most stores, usually in the Asian section, but if you don't have them just sub regular dried breadcrumbs (try and find large breadcrumbs, not the dusty variety). I recommend weighing them (75g/2.6oz) because different sizes will produce difference cup sizes.
d) How to bake chicken instead of frying:
  • Fry the panko in 1 tbsp butter until golden. Leave to cool.
  • Continue with recipe up until frying, then place breaded chicken on a wire rack above a baking tray.
  • Bake in the oven at 425F/220C for 10-12mins until the chicken begins to crisp, take out and carefully flip. Rotate tray and place back in the oven for another 5-10mins or until the chicken is golden crispy. At this point it should just be cooked through.
  • Continue with recipe.
e) Calories - per sandwich assuming 2 tsp oil per chicken breast is soaked up when frying:

Your Private Notes:

Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts
Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
Amount Per Serving
Calories 810 Calories from Fat 337
% Daily Value*
Fat 37.41g58%
Saturated Fat 19.192g120%
Trans Fat 0.167g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.464g
Monounsaturated Fat 10.45g
Cholesterol 245mg82%
Sodium 1844mg80%
Potassium 1093mg31%
Carbohydrates 55.64g19%
Fiber 6.1g25%
Sugar 10.13g11%
Protein 61.87g124%
Vitamin A 1430IU29%
Vitamin C 25.3mg31%
Calcium 598mg60%
Iron 5.36mg30%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
*Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.
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