There's something magical about a crispy chicken cutlet, warm marinara sauce, and gooey mozzarella cheese tucked cozily inside a toasted sourdough baguette. This Chicken Parmesan Sandwich takes everything you love about the classic pasta dish and stuffs it into bread instead. The cutlets are fried until they are super crispy, then smothered with homemade marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese, a handful of arugula, a couple of pieces of fresh basil, and a quick swipe of roasted garlic aioli to finish it off.
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The chicken itself starts with my crispy chicken cutlets recipe, which uses sourdough breadcrumbs instead of panko, so it is super crispy. For the sauces, I use my classic marinara sauce and creamy roasted garlic aioli, which also pair perfectly with my grilled chicken and Brie sandwiches and my blackened chicken sandwiches, too.
Why You'll Love This Chicken Parm Sandwich 😍
- The chicken cutlet is super crispy. The chicken cutlet is breaded, fried, and then baked to ensure it stays crunchy (but also still super juicy) all the way though.
- A sandwich with big flavor. Marinara, fresh mozzarella, roasted garlic aioli, arugula and basil. That's a recipe for success right there.
- Ready in about 15 minutes. Skip the drive-thru and soggy sandwiches and make these chicken Parmesan sandwiches any day of the week!
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Chicken Cutlets: Thin-pounded chicken breast, breaded and fried until crispy. I use my breaded chicken cutlets recipe for this, which swaps panko for sourdough breadcrumbs to ensure the crust holds up under the marinara sauce.
- Sourdough Baguette: A baguette is sturdy enough to hold all the toppings without falling apart. A ciabatta roll, hoagie bun or regular French baguette works if sourdough isn't available.
- Marinara Sauce: Marinara sauce is what makes these sandwiches chicken parm sandwiches. My homemade marinara works great, or use a good jarred sauce in a pinch.
- Roasted Garlic Aioli: This is the ingredient that makes you ask yourself, "Why does this taste so good?!" Make my quick homemade roasted garlic aioli, or, if you're short on time, use a store-bought version. My horseradish sauce is excellent on these sandwiches too (I also use it on my beef dip sandwiches, they are so good!).
A full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Ways To Customize This Sandwich
- Make it Spicy: Add banana peppers, chili pepper flakes or diced pepperoncini.
- Extra Veggies: Pile on fresh cucumber slices, roasted red peppers, sautéed mushrooms or caramelized onions.
- Swap the Cheese: Instead of fresh mozzarella, try provolone, Brie or Swiss cheese.
- Cheat on the Chicken: If you're short on time, use store-bought chicken tenders instead of making your own chicken cutlets. Use 2-3 tenders per sandwich.
- Make Vodka Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches: Instead of using marinara sauce, use my creamy vodka sauce recipe as the topping to make the viral vodka parmesan chicken sandwiches!
If you love a good Italian-inspired recipe, you have to try my Italian grinder salad, super cheesy lasagna and my easy tomato bruschetta.
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How To Make Chicken Parmesan Subs
Step 1
Toast the sourdough baguette brushed with a little olive oil, face down in a dry pan for 2-4 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
Place a chicken cutlet on a baking sheet, smother in marinara sauce, top with mozzarella slices and broil on high for a couple of minutes until the mozzarella is melted and the marinara sauce is warm.
Step 2
Spread roasted garlic aioli onto both sides of the toasted bun, and place the broiled chicken cutlet on one side. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and top with fresh basil and a handful of arugula.
Step 3
Close it up, press gently, and serve immediately.
Serve with crispy baked French fries, a side kale Caesar salad or, for something truly special, an authentic Canadian poutine.
Quick Helpful Tips
- Rest the cutlets on a wire rack. Anything else will trap steam while the cutlets are still hot and cause the breading to turn soggy.
- Toast the bread. This is a sauce-heavy sandwich, and you run the risk of the bread going soggy if it's not toasted.
- Broil the cheese. Melting the mozzarella before closing the sandwich ensures it will be warm all the way through.
How To Store Leftovers
Store leftover components separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Rewarm the individual parts and build the sandwiches fresh right before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use a sturdy bread like a sourdough baguette, French baguette, ciabatta bun or a hoagie roll. For a regular sandwich bread, my no-knead bread sliced thick and toasted on both sides works well too.
A few things can cause these sandwiches to go soggy, letting them sit too long before serving, using a watery jarred marinara sauce or letting the cutlets rest on a paper towel instead of a wire rack are all reasons your sandwich may have gone soggy. If you are using a watery marinara sauce, bring it to a boil over medium heat and let it reduce slightly before using it on the sandwiches.
More Delicious Sandwich Recipes
Looking for more delicious sandwich recipes like this? Try these:
If you made this Chicken Parmesan Sandwich or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating, a 💬 comment and share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!
📖 Recipe
Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4 (6-inch) Sourdough Baguette Buns
- 4 large Chicken Cutlets
- 1 cup Marinara Sauce
- 200 grams Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- ½ cup Roasted Garlic Aioli
- 2 cups Arugula
- Fresh Basil
Instructions
- Brush the cut sides of the sourdough baguette with olive oil. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the bread, cut-side down, for 2-4 minutes, until golden brown.
- Preheat the broiler to high. Place the cooked chicken cutlet on a baking sheet and spoon 3-4 Tablespoons of marinara sauce evenly over the top. Layer sliced mozzarella over the sauce. Broil for 2-3 minutes, watching closely, until the mozzarella is melted and bubbling and the marinara sauce is warmed through.
- Spread roasted garlic aioli evenly over both cut sides of the toasted baguette. Place the broiled chicken cutlet on the bottom half of the baguette. Top with grated Parmesan, fresh basil and a handful of arugula. Close the sandwich with the top half of the baguette, press down gently, and serve immediately.
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Notes
- Chicken: Homemade or store-bought chicken cutlets or even chicken tenders all work perfectly for this sandwich recipe.
- Marinara Sauce: Marinara sauce is incredibly easy to make from scratch, but store-bought works too. If it is extra watery, boil it for a little while to reduce and thicken it slightly.
- Fresh Mozzarella: Swap for provolone, brie or Swiss cheese if you prefer.
- Sourdough Baguette: Any sturdy sandwich bun can be used, try a French baguette, ciabatta buns, or hoagie rolls.
- Try Vodka Sauce: Make the viral vodka chicken parmesan sandwiches by using vodka sauce instead of marinara.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Eddie says
This is my kind of sandwich, absolutely love this recipe!
Jessica says
Yay!
Jessica says
These chicken parmesan sandwiches are delicious, and we've been making them for everyone we know, but personally, I am LOVING using vodka sauce on them too. 🤤