Chicken Parmigiana

A fresh, delicious way to have chicken parmesan from your own kitchen. I watched Tyler Florence from the Food Network make this a few years ago, and it became a favorite. I love this fresh marinara sauce instead of the heavier spaghetti sauces that are often used. When using a chicken breast instead of a cutlet, it’s a good idea to pound it out a little. Add a crisp salad and garlic bread and enjoy!

Chicken Parmigiana

1/4 C. olive oil, plus 3 Tbsp.
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves
2 (28-oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
Pinch of sugar
Pinch red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 lbs)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. water
1 C. dried plain bread crumbs
1 C. freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 C. chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 (8-oz.) ball fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1 pound spaghetti pasta, cooked

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves; cook and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add some hand-torn basil, reserving the rest for finishing the chicken. Carefully add the tomatoes, cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; season with sugar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.

Get the ingredients together for the chicken so you have a little assembly line. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. Put the bread crumbs on a plate, add the 1 cup Parmesan, chopped parsley, and garlic powder and pepper. Stir with a fork until thoroughly combined.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot, add the chicken and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once.

Ladle the tomato sauce over the chicken and arrange the mozzarella on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan, and remaining basil. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot with spaghetti.

1 comment

    • Judy on February 28, 2016 at 1:46 pm

    We had this the other night. It was delicious. We even had leftovers. It made a lot. I’d make it again. It was simple too.
    LOVED IT!!

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