Crispy And Saucy Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Chicken Parmesan is an Italian classic that just about anyone is going to love. The crispy skin and the tomato sauce make a great pairing, while the Parmesan and mozzarella cheese just ties it all together perfectly. Paired alongside some fresh vegetables and maybe even some mashed potatoes, chicken Parmesan is a perfectly savory delight, making for the ideal dinner.
For this dish, recipe creator Jennine Bryant has put together a cheesy delight sure to be brimming with all the love that only a from-scratch meal can deliver. Plus, there's a unique ingredient — pine nuts in the breading — which really helps amp up the flavors of this dish. "They complement and enhance the nutty flavor of the Parmesan that is infused throughout the dish," explains Bryant. But don't worry, that classic chicken parm flavor still remains, so you can count on this recipe to be savory, cheesy, and all sorts of decadent.
Gather the ingredients for crispy chicken Parmesan
This crispy and saucy chicken Parmesan is a delectable meal, and since Bryant has put it together basically from scratch, you will have quite a shopping list. Start with four chicken breasts. You need olive oil, an egg, a small onion, a can of chopped tomatoes, and a garlic bulb. Pick up some pine nuts (which will need to be finely ground), breadcrumbs, a container of grated Parmesan, and a ball of fresh mozzarella. "My most preferred breadcrumbs are actually made at home with stale bread," explains Bryant. "I tend to whizz up some stale bread in a food processor and then toast them for 5 to 10 minutes in the oven. Failing that though, panko can be great and gives good texture."
As for seasoning, you'll need garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, pepper, mixed dried herbs (which is a blend of thyme, marjoram, oregano, parsley, sage, and basil), and chili flakes. Finally, you'll need a little bit of brown sugar, some flour, and optionally some fresh basil for garnish.
Whisk your egg and mix your breading
Start by preheating the over to 350 F. While it heats up, break the egg in a bowl and whisk it with a fork. In a separate bowl, add the breadcrumbs, the pine nuts, ¼ cup of the grated Parmesan, the garlic powder, the oregano, the salt, and the pepper. Mix it all with a fork or spoon until it makes one even breading.
Coat the chicken in the breading
Now it's time to start making magic. Coat a chicken breast in a layer of flour, then bathe it in the whisked egg. When it's well-coated, dredge it through the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure it's covered all over, then repeat the process with the other three chicken breasts.
Pan fry the chicken
Heat up 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a wide frying pan. "Drop one or two crumbs into the olive oil," suggests Bryant, "and when it sizzles gently around the crumbs, put the chicken in." Make sure they have enough room in the pan that they can fry all over and you can flip them easily. Once they're golden, remove them from the heat and set aside. Don't worry about cooking them thoroughly — that's what the oven is for.
Make your tomato sauce
Wipe the residue and oil out of the frying pan, then add in the final tablespoon of olive oil along with the chopped onion. Fry until the onion is translucent, at which point you can add the chopped garlic. Once the garlic is fragrant, after about 2 minutes, add the tinned tomatoes, brown sugar, mixed herbs, and just a pinch of chili flakes. Let this whole mixture simmer for about 5 minutes. Bryant suggests giving the sauce a taste, and you can adjust seasonings as needed.
Assemble the dish for baking
Pour this tomato sauce into a large baking dish. Place the chicken breasts on top of the sauce with a little bit of room between, dropping even amounts of the fresh mozzarella on each breast. Finish them off by sprinkling the final 2 tablespoons of Parmesan on top. Now you're ready for the final stage, which is baking.
Finish and serve your crispy chicken Parmesan
Bake your chicken Parmesan for 25 minutes, and make sure the chicken is cooked through. "You can check the chicken by putting a knife through it and seeing if the juices that run out are clear," suggests Bryant. "Or by using a meat thermometer, the chicken will be safe to eat when it is at 165 F." You also want the mozzarella cheese on top melted and turning golden.
Take your baking dish out of the oven and scoop the chicken breasts onto a plate. "It's not the tidiest of foods to serve up, so I recommend just digging in with a spatula or serving spoon," Bryant says. Garnish each piece of chicken with fresh basil and serve it up with your own choice of side. "For a delicious but carb-heavy option, spaghetti makes a great accompaniment," suggests Bryant. "For a lighter option, fresh steamed vegetables as a side is great. If you still want to add something to soak up the sauce, rice is also delicious as an accompaniment."
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup pine nuts, finely ground
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 chicken breasts
- ¾ cup plain flour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
- 1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs
- pinch of chili flakes
- 1 (5-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, shredded
- fresh basil, for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a bowl, break the egg and use a fork to whisk it, then set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add the breadcrumbs, the pine nuts, ¼ cup of grated Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper, and then mix until everything is combined.
- Take one of the chicken breasts, first coat it in a layer of flour, then dip it into the egg, and finally into the breadcrumb mixture, making sure it is well coated. Repeat this with the other chicken breasts.
- In a wide frying pan, heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place the breaded chicken breasts into the pan. Cook them for a 3 minutes on each side until they are golden in color. The chicken does not need to be cooked through as it will finish off cooking in the oven. Remove the chicken breasts from the pan and set aside.
- Wipe the frying pan out and add the final tablespoon of olive oil and the finely chopped onion. Fry for 4 minutes until the onion is translucent, then add the chopped garlic and fry for 2 more minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the canned tomatoes, the brown sugar, the mixed herbs and the pinch of chili flakes, and allow the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Once the tomato sauce has cooked, gently pour it into a large oven dish and then place the chicken breasts on the top of the sauce. Top each chicken breast with ¼ of the fresh mozzarella and finish by sprinkling the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the top.
- Place the dish into the preheated oven and cook for 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the mozzarella cheese on top is melted and turning golden. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil before serving.
| Calories per Serving | 836 |
| Total Fat | 46.6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 14.1 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.2 g |
| Cholesterol | 195.3 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 45.3 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6.2 g |
| Total Sugars | 8.7 g |
| Sodium | 1,203.0 mg |
| Protein | 58.9 g |
