Chicken Parmigiana (Chicken Parmesan) Italian Recipe
When you add homemade marinara sauce to your Chicken Parmigiana, it will blow your favorite restaurant right out of the water. Serve on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes. And those pesky leftovers?—enjoy them warmed and served atop a fresh artisan bun.
Serves 4 servings
Ingredients
| Marinara Sauce | ||
| 3 | tablespoons | olive oil |
| 1 | whole | bay leaf |
| 1 | large | onion, minced |
| 1 | carrot, finely chopped | |
| 1 | tablespoon | crushed garlic |
| 1 | cup | red wine (drinking quality) |
| 2 | tablespoons | fresh basil, chopped |
| 1 | tablespoon | fresh oregano, chopped |
| 1 | tablespoon | fresh thyme leaves, chopped |
| ~1 | teaspoon | salt, divided |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | freshly ground black pepper |
| 1/8 | teaspoon | cayenne pepper |
| 1 | cup | freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided |
| 8 | ounces | buffalo mozzarella cheese, drained and sliced |
| ~ | basil leaves, for garnish | |
| Chicken Cutlets | ||
| 3 | 8-ounce | skinless, boneless chicken breasts* |
| ~ | salt | |
| ~ | pepper | |
| ~ | flour, for dredging | |
| ~4 | eggs, beaten | |
| 1 | cup | breadcrumbs** |
| 4–6 | tablespoons | vegetable oil for frying, divided |
*About 1 1/2 pounds of meat.
**Unless you have a stash of homemade breadcrumbs, use store-bought for this dish. They keep things simple and save you time.
Directions
Marinara Sauce
- Heat the oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the bay leaf and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the onion and carrot, sautéing until soft.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and sauté briefly.
- Add the tomatoes, wine, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper and cayenne. Bring to a bubbling simmer.
- Stir in ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese, mixing well to incorporate.
- Adjust the seasonings to taste.
- If you prefer a smoother sauce, pour into a blender and process. Set aside.
Cutlets
- Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally.
- Pound the meat to a ¼-inch thickness using a flat-sided mallet, taking care not to over-pound the meat.
- Season cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides. Move to a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2–4 hours or overnight.
- Remove from the refrigerator and bring cutlets to room temperature.
- Blot the cutlets with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Cover a plate with flour for dredging.
- Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking to remove excess.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat until it begins to sizzle.
- Working in batches, fry 3–4 cutlets at a time until golden, approximately 3 minutes. Turn the meat over and fry for another 2–3 minutes or until cooked through. Adjust heat to prevent burning.
- Remove the cutlets and keep warm in a low oven.
- Add a bit more oil to the skillet and repeat the process until all cutlets are cooked.
Assembling
Have a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish ready for step 6.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Spread a small amount of sauce in the baking dish.
- Arrange the chicken cutlets in a single layer and top with remaining sauce.
- Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the cutlets and top with the sliced mozzarella.
- Place in the oven and cook until the cheese is melted, approximately 5-10 minutes.
- Garnish with basil leaves and serve.
Preparation Time:
Approximately 45 minutes preparation and cooking with 2+ hours marinating
