The Key To Better Parmesan-Crusted Chicken, According To A Recipe Developer

Chicken is low in calories and high in protein as well as other nutrients. It's also satisfying, tasty, and one of the most versatile foundations for meals. Of all the different ways to cook chicken, the best usually involve cheese. While a classic, saucy, ooey-gooey chicken parmesan dish is a real treat, one could argue that a a lighter, parmesan-crusted chicken breast wins for everyday enjoyment. Incorporating parmesan into the chicken's breading creates a light, crisp coating, bursting with savory, nutty, salty flavor notes — that is, if you can get it to stick.

Parmesan-crusted chicken is delicious and easy to make once you nail one key step: getting the cheese coating to actually stick. If you've ever made parmesan-crusted chicken at home, you've likely been there; You perfected your coating mix and dredged the chicken breasts, but by the time they hit the pan, the soon-to-be golden crust you imagined comes out splotchy at best. This is thanks to the meat's moisture, so getting rid of it as much as you possibly can creates a surface the coating will evenly adhere to.

For some help on how to do that, Tasting Table turned to an David Davidoc, recipe developer and creator of The Cooking Foodie. He said, "To get that parmesan crust to actually stay on, you've gotta make sure the chicken is bone-dry first, just pat it down with a bunch of paper towels. If it's even a little damp, the whole thing just slides off in the pan." 

David Davidoc has more tips that don't just promise a coating that sticks — but an especially mouthwatering coating, at that. "For the coating, do the usual flour, then egg, then the cheese mix. But here's the trick: use the finely grated stuff (the kind that looks like powder), not the shredded kind," he said. This more powdery parmesan incorporates with the other ingredients more easily and adheres better because it's dehydrated and lacks moisture. 

In addition to making sure the chicken is super dry for even coating, Davidov also advised, "When you dip the chicken, don't just shake it, actually press the crumbs into the meat with your hands so they stick." He also had a final piece of guidance for the actual cooking part: "keep the heat at medium." Davidov said, "Parmesan burns super-fast, so if the pan's too hot, you'll end up with a charred mess before the chicken is even cooked through!"

With the simple tricks of completely drying the chicken, using finely grated parmesan, and pressing the coating into the meat, you'll have a gorgeous, even crust that sings with any and all of your favorite spices and herbs. To cut the richness of parmesan-crusted chicken, Miriam Hanh's everyday salad with herby lemon vinaigrette recipe will make an elegant pairing.