EASY CHICKEN PARMESAN RECIPE

EASY CHICKEN PARMESAN RECIPE

Oh, how we love chicken parmesan—chicken cutlets, breaded and fried, smothered with tomato sauce, covered with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, and baked until the cheese is bubbly and melts into every nook and cranny.

It’s one of those everyone-should-know-how-to-make recipes. It’s easy and comes together quickly. In fact, it’s hard to mess up! Chicken Parmesan is also one of the best uses I can think of for boneless, skinless, chicken breasts.

INGREDIENTS

For the sauce:

• 1/2 large yellow onion, grated (don’t cut onion in half, just grate half of a whole onion), about 3/4 cup of grated onion
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Pinch sugar

For the chicken:

• 4 chicken breast cutlets (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds)
• Salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup breadcrumbs, Panko or homemade
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced

To serve:

• Cooked spaghetti, or sub rolls

METHODHIDE PHOTOS

1 Start the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic. Cook until fragrant, about a minute more.

Then add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Bring to a simmer; reduce the heat to maintain the simmer. Cook, uncovered while you prepare the chicken (about 10 to 12 minutes).

2 Preheat oven to 400°F.

3 Pound cutlets thin: Place the chicken cutlets one at a time between two layers of plastic wrap or wax paper. Use a meat hammer, mallet, rolling pin, or even a heavy empty wine bottle to pound or roll the chicken pieces to an even thickness of 1/4 to 1/2-inch. Sprinkle salt on both sides of the cutlets.

4 Prepare breadcrumbs and eggs for dredging: In a shallow bowl (large enough to dredge the cutlets), mix together the breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and pinch of salt. In separate shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs.

5 Dredge cutlets and brown them: Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering (not smoking) and a piece of breading dropped into it sizzles.

Working one cutlet at a time, dip the chicken cutlet into the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumbs. Working in batches as to not crowd the pan, place the dredged cutlets into the pan.

Lower the heat to medium and gently fry the chicken cutlets until they are golden brown on each side, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

 

6 Prep the chicken for the oven: Spread enough tomato sauce to thickly coat the bottom of a 9×13 casserole pan or baking dish. Once the cutlets are browned on both sides, arrange them on top of the tomato sauce in the baking dish.

Spoon tomato sauce over each of the cutlets. Sprinkle the tops with sliced basil. Then lay slices of mozzarella over each cutlet and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.

7 Bake: Bake in the oven at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the mozzarella begins to brown.

8 Serve: Serve with pasta and the remaining sauce, or in a large roll.

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