Craving that restaurant-worthy crispy chicken smothered in melty cheese and silky vodka-kissed tomato sauce? This Chicken Parmesan alla Vodka recipe delivers everything you love about classic Chicken Parm, plus the luxurious flavor boost of a quick vodka sauce, in just about 30 minutes. It pairs beautifully with pasta, garlic bread, and/or a simple green salad.
Why You Will Love This Chicken Parmesan Alla Vodka Recipe
- Crispy Outside, Juicy Inside – A Panko Parmesan crust guarantees a crunch coating that locks in moisture.
- Shortcut Vodka Sauce – Store-bought spicy vodka sauce transforms into a creamy, restaurant-style vodka sauce in minutes.
- No-Stress Prep – Flattening the breasts means faster, even cooking and foolproof frying.
- Make-Ahead Friendly – Bread the cutlets up to a day early and refrigerate. Fry when you’re ready.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken → Use thin chicken cutlets or turkey cutlets, as an alternative. You can also cut each breast in half (horizontally).
- Flour → Easily use gluten-free flour.
- Panko → Replace with Italian breadcrumbs, crushed pork rinds (keto), or gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Parmesan → Use Pecorino Romano for a sharper bite.
- Spicy Vodka Sauce → For ease, use a jarred vodka sauce, or stir ¼ cup vodka plus 2 Tbsp cream into marinara, while heating.
- Fresh Mozzarella → Provolone or an Italian cheese blend are great alternatives. Shredded mozzarella will also work.
- Oil → Choose vocado, canola, or light olive oil.
- Basil → Replace with fresh chopped parsley.
How to Make Chicken Parmesan Alla Vodka
- Flatten the chicken.
- Prepare the dredging station.
- Dredge chicken in seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg mixture, then press firmly into panko-Parmesan to coat.
- Heat ½-inch oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Fry cutlets 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden and internal temperature hits 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a rack. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Meanwhile, warm half the vodka sauce in a small saucepan. Stir in the heavy cream.
- Lay half the mozzarella on top. Broil on high, just until cheese bubbles and becomes browned.
- Pour the sauce over one cutlet. Repeat with remaining sauce, cheese, and chicken (Alternatively, divide the vodka sauce between two saucepans or two small sheet pans then layer the cheese and broil at the same time).
How to Serve & Store
- Serve this Chicken Parmesan alla Vodka alone, over spaghetti, rigatoni, or creamy polenta.
- Store after it’s completely cooled in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes to reclaim crispness.
- Freeze breaded (un-fried) cutlets up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before frying.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I bake instead of fry? Yes. Place breaded cutlets on a rack-lined sheet, mist with oil, and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 18–22 minutes, flipping once.
- What if I don’t have a mallet? Use a rolling pin or the bottom of a small skillet to flatten the chicken.
- Can I use homemade spicy vodka sauce? Yes! Try this Quick Vodka Sauce recipe.
- Is vodka essential if I am using marinara sauce? The alcohol cooks off and deepens tomato flavor, but you can skip it, or substitute two tablespoons chicken stock for complexity, without the alcohol.
- Best side dishes? Try blistered broccolini, pasta, salad, and/or mashed potatoes.
- How many people will this recipe feed? This recipe can feed up to four people.
More Crispy Chicken Recipes to Love
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Chicken Parmesan Alla Vodka
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3 to 4 servings 1x
Description
This Chicken Parmesan Alla Vodka recipe delivers everything you love about classic Chicken Parm with the luxurious flavor of a vodka sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1/8 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Neutral oil, for frying (about 3/4 cup or enough for shallow frying)
- 2 cups spicy vodka sauce or marinara sauce combined with heavy cream and vodka.
- 8 to 10 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Lay each chicken breast between two sheets of wax or parchment paper. Pound to ½ inch (1.25 cm) thickness (Optionally, cut the chicken breast in half, lengthwise to produce 4 thin cutlets).
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- In a second dish, beat eggs with heavy cream.
- In a third dish, combine the panko and Parmesan.
- Dredge chicken in seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg mixture, then press firmly into panko-Parmesan to coat.
- Heat ½-inch oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Fry cutlets 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden and internal temperature hits 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a rack. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Meanwhile, warm half the vodka sauce in a small saucepan. Stir in the heavy cream.
- Lay half the mozzarella on top. Broil on high, just until cheese bubbles and becomes browned.
- Pour the sauce over one cutlet. Repeat with remaining sauce, cheese, and chicken (Alternatively, divide the vodka sauce between two saucepans or two small sheet pans then layer the cheese and broil at the same time).
- Garnish with torn basil and serve immediately.
- ENJOY!
Equipment
Stainless Steel Dredging Station
Buy Now →Notes
- Pounding the chicken ensures consistent thickness—don’t skip!
- As an alternative, cut each chicken breasts horizontally, to create a total of four cutlets.
- Maintain a medium temperature on the oil. If the oil is too hot, the chicken will not fully-cook before the outside is browned. If the oil is not hot enough, the coating may become soggy.
- Fry in batches, if needed.
- Allow the mozzarella cheese to hang out on paper towels to soak up any extra moisture.
- Easily replace fresh mozzarella with shredded mozzarella.
- As an alternative, using two small sheet pans and divide the vodka sauce and cheese onto one pan and broil at the same time.
- Feel free to use more sauce/cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: American/Italian
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