Serve with our Tomato Salad for a healthier dinner!
It is difficult to find a dish that is more representative of Italian American cuisine than Chicken Parm! You can search Italy far and wide, and you will come up with nothing. Nope, this baby, although inspired by Italian flavours, is all American.
What’s in a name?
What word comes to mind when you think of the classic chicken parmesan? Is it “crispy” or “saucy”? As strange as it sounds, this dish is somehow both. Breaded chicken cutlets and a delicious basil and garlic flavoured tomato sauce are two things, which describe this recipe perfectly. Actually, there is a third. Cheese. And plenty of it. The recipe itself originated in the US and was created by Italian Americans. Despite its cult following, chicken parmesan aka chicken Parmigiana is a relatively new creation, not even 100 years old. It was however, inspired by two authentic Italian recipes, that are ancient. Eggplant Parmesan and Cotoletta, a flattened piece of meat, usually veal, that is breaded and fried.
The Process
Like with every recipe, that’s been around for a while, we can count on our fair share of good and bad experiences. The reason why I haven’t been tempted to recreate it for this website until now is because many versions I’ve tried were underwhelming to say the least. Chicken Parm is a tricky recipe. One one hand we expect to bite into a perfectly crispy breaded exterior with juicy chicken inside. And on the other hand, it’s baked in a sauce! Those two simply cannot co-exist. What we taste in the end is a breaded chicken, that’s gone soggy in the sauce. So it just tastes rich and heavy! Not for me. There is a way to cook this recipe well, which will keep the chicken coating delightfully crispy and we don’t have to sacrifice the sauce. Here is my version.
Recipe Tips and Notes
I always start with the sauce. I make a very simple red cause, which I flavour with garlic and basil. It’s my basic pasta sauce, which I also use for Eggplant Parmesan. I don’t butterfly the chicken. I keep the entire breast but pound the thicker end until it’s even with the thin one. This way the chicken doesn’t dry out after being fried, then cooked in the oven. I season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. I find they come out under-seasoned if the salt is only in the breading.
The only breadcrumbs I use are Panko. They deliver much crispier breading than traditional breadcrumbs do. It’s all down to how they are made, which is fascinating. Google it if you are interested! Panko breadcrumbs get mixed with grated Parmesan cheese for another layer of seasoning and flavour. After I dredge the chicken in flour, seasoned with salt , eggs and the breadcrumb mix, I fry it until golden in olive oil but you can also use butter. Now all I do to go from a breaded chicken to chicken parmesan is spread a dollop of the sauce on each breast, then top it with a slice of fresh mozzarella and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Then cook in the oven at high temperature for a melty top!
You are probably wondering about all that leftover sauce. Don’t worry you will serve your chicken on top of a ladleful of the sauce. But wait till the last minute to do so. We don’t want the chicken to go soggy after all.
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally, this chicken gets served with pasta since it comes with a nice sauce. However, you can lighten it up by pairing with a salad or cooked vegetables. Our roasted parmesan broccoli with sun-dried tomatoes or warm zucchini salad come to mind. Both inspired by Italian flavours. More Italian Chicken Recipes to Try:
Chicken Arrabiata with Herb and Garlic Breadcrumbs Tuscan Chicken with Saffron Cream Sauce Best Chicken Marsala Italian Rosemary Chicken
