HOW TO COOK A CRISPY CHICKEN PARMESAN

Everyone loves chicken parmesan. It’s such a great, Italian comfort food that is relatively easy to make. However, one of the caveats with most Chicken Parmesan recipes is that after you have worked so hard to bread and cook a crispy chicken breasts, it gets overly-slathered with marinara sauce then baked in the oven with mozzarella cheese and…it gets soggy! Well, here’s a way to avoid some of that sogginess and still get the true Chicken Parmesan experience. Also, to keep with the “parmesan” part of Chicken Parm, there will be grated parmesan in the Marinara sauce, the bread crumbs, and the cheese topping! This recipe serves 2-3 people.

YouTube recipe video: https://youtu.be/4um79iDm-Gc

Ingredients:

For the marinara sauce:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 small shallot, about 3 tbsp, minced

• 1 tsp minced garlic

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• 1/4 cup red wine

• One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes

• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

• Kosher salt and black pepper

For the chicken:

• One 10-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast, butterflied then pounded to 1/4 inch thick

• 1/2 cup bread crumbs

• 1/2 cup panko crumbs

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp dried basil

• 1/4 cup grated parmesan

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 1 large egg, beaten with a little milk

• 1 cup flour

Assembly:

• 1 tbsp olive oil;

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

• 6 ounces cooked spaghetti

Directions:

• Heat a medium saucepan over medium-low heat then add 1 tbsp of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the shallots and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the red pepper flakes and cook another 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Let reduce for about 3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes with juice and the chopped parsley and bring back to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Turn heat to low, cover, and cook 15 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. Keep warm.

• Set up 3 bowls for breading. Flour, seasoned with salt and pepper. One egg, beaten with a little milk. One cup of breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour, tapping off the excess. Dip in the egg mixture and coat thoroughly. Then coat with the bread crumbs on both sides, pressing down and turning several times. Place on a platter lined with parchment paper or wax paper.

• Cook the spaghetti in salted water according to package directions, about 10 minutes. Drain and keep warm.

• In a medium to large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil then 2 tbsp unsalted butter. When the oil and butter is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook until golden brown, turn and repeat on the other side. Place on a wire rack over and sheet pan. They will finish cooking in the oven.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• On each chicken breast, place 1/4 cup of grated mozzarella and 1 tsp grated parmesan in the middle of the breast. Place in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and golden brown and the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees, about 10 minutes.

• Remove from the oven.

• To serve, place some cooked spaghetti on the plate. Then spoon on some marinara sauce on the the spaghetti. Place the chicken breast next to the spaghetti.. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with extra marinara sauce on the side in a ramekin.