Food - Drink
The Key To Perfectly Crunchy Chicken Parmesan Every Time
By LAUREN ROTHMAN
In the wide world of Italian-American comfort food, it's hard to beat saucy, cheesy chicken parmesan, especially when partnered with spaghetti or fresh bread. For an extra-crunchy crust on your homemade chicken parm, pro chef and recipe developer J. Kenji López-Alt has the perfect technique to share.
López-Alt dredges chicken cutlets in a breadcrumb mixture with a bit of buttermilk, creating little balls of breading that adhere to the meat well. When the cutlets are fried, those breading nubs will create extra cragginess and crispness that can stand up to the moisture of the tomato sauce and cheese coating.
López-Alt recommends starting the chicken in extra-hot oil, between 375 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit; after the chicken is added, the temperature decreases to around 325 degrees. With these tips, your next batch of chicken parmesan should come out with an enviably crispy, fried chicken-like crust.