Chicken parmesan
Crumbed chicken cutlets fried until crisp, then baked under tomato sauce and melted mozzarella, a favourite from Italian-American kitchens.
Method
- 1
Warm the 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan over low heat and cook the garlic until fragrant but not browned.
- 2
Add the tomatoes, crushing them with your hand, the oregano and a pinch of salt, and simmer until thick.
- 3
Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally and pound between sheets of baking paper to an even 1 cm thickness.
- 4
Set out three plates: the flour seasoned with salt and pepper, the beaten eggs, and the breadcrumbs mixed with 30 g of the parmesan.
- 5
Coat each cutlet in flour, then egg, then crumbs, pressing so the crumbs stick.
- 6
Heat the oven to 220°C.
- 7
Heat the frying oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until a crumb sizzles as soon as it goes in.
- 8
Fry the cutlets 2 at a time until deep golden and crisp, about 3 minutes on each side. Drain on kitchen paper.
- 9
Spread a thin layer of sauce in the baking dish and lay the cutlets on top.
- 10
Spoon a little more sauce onto the centre of each cutlet, leaving the edges uncovered so they stay crisp.
- 11
Top with the mozzarella and the remaining parmesan.
- 12
Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling in spots and the chicken is cooked through.
- 13
Scatter with basil and serve with spaghetti or a green salad.
Notes
- Pounding the chicken to an even thickness is the key step. It lets the cutlets cook through before the crumb burns.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella releases water and makes the crumb soggy.
- The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead, and the cutlets can be crumbed and chilled a few hours before frying.
Equipment
Medium saucepan, Large frying pan, Rolling pin or meat mallet, 3 shallow plates, Baking dish