My Favorite Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

This is how I like to make chicken parmesan. It’s pretty straightforward and foolproof, allowing you to use what you have on hand or according to your preference. See the notes at the bottom of the recipe for additional information.

Ingredients

• 2 skinless Chicken Breasts

• 1 jar tomato Sauce of Choice

• 4 slices of provolone Cheese or 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

• 8 oz. dry-weight pasta of choice

• 2 large eggs

• 2 cups panko or breadcrumbs of choice

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 4 tablespoons oil for frying/vegetable/coconut

• 1 teaspoon Oregano

• 1 teaspoon Paprika

• Salt

• Pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to broil. Gather one large oven-proof pan, one large pot for pasta, one small pot for sauce, and two large bowls.

• Place the chicken breasts in a Ziplock bag and pound thin with a meat hammer; use slow and steady motions so as not to break the bag until the breasts are about ½ inches thick. Thinner is better, but if they are too thin, they will fall apart. Remove the chicken breasts, cut each one in half, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.

• In one bowl, beat the eggs and buttermilk together; in another bowl, mix the panko, oregano, and paprika.

• Fill the large pot with 4 quarts of water and 1/8 cup of salt, and place over high heat. Pour the pasta sauce into the smaller pot and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until oil shimmers (can check oil temperature, looking for at least 250F).

• First, add the chicken to the buttermilk and egg mixture, then into the breadcrumbs. Make sure you let most of the liquid drip off first. After breading, place the chicken breasts in the pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and the temperature reaches 165F.

• Remove the pan from heat and top the chicken breasts with sauce and cheese. Place the whole pan into the oven and broil for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is browning. Remove from the oven carefully with pot holders, and serve with pasta and sauce.

Notes

• The serving suggestion is crusty bread, garlic bread, and a side vegetable like broccoli or another green, making this a well-rounded meal.

• If you don’t have a meat tenderizer mallet, you may use a rolling pin or flat rubber mallet.

• Cast iron and stainless steel are often used for oven-proof pans. Don’t use non-stick pans. If you don’t have an oven-proof pan, use your available pan of choice and transfer the cooked chicken to a baking sheet or dish before putting it into the oven.