Chicken Parmigiana is an American-Italian classic that takes inspiration from parmigiana di melanzane (eggplant parmigiana) and personally one of my favorite dishes of all time. This ooey gooey, saucy chicken recipe can be found in nearly every American-Italian restaurant and is a too easy of a recipe to not attempt to make at home!
This dish became widely popular in the United States in the 1950’s when Italian immigrants made their way over. Typically served with pasta and marinara, chicken parmigiana consists of breaded chicken breast topped with marinara, then mozzarella and is broiled to perfection to create a crispy and flavorful meal.
One of the very first recipes was written in the New York Times in 1953 that simplified the meal using a frozen chicken patty and other cheap ingredients. The dish was widely popularized because of its’ simple ingredients and quick cooking methods.
Nowadays, there are many variations of chicken parmigiana. Many people turn the dish into a sandwich by loading bread with marinara sauce and topping it with the breaded chicken and mozzarella.
Some versions even add bacon or ham to the recipe, but whichever way you choose to enjoy this recipe, it will always leave you satisfied.
If you’d like to make my version of this dish, follow the steps below!
Recipe
- Using your hand, press on the top of the chicken breast firmly and slice the breast in half to create two breasts.
- Place one breast between two pieces of saran wrap. Using a meat mallet, beat until the breast is about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with remaining breasts and set aside.
- Get your breading station ready. Grab three large shallow bowls. Fill the first up with flour and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Crack two eggs in the second bowl and whisk.
- In the third bowl, add the breadcrumbs, italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Mix.
- Season all the chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste. Then, dip the breast in the flour. Shake off any excess.
- Dip it in the egg and make sure to let any excess egg drip off.
- Last, coat in breadcrumbs. Repeat with remaining breasts and set aside.
- In a large pan, add enough oil to fry, about 2 inches. Set to medium heat and wait for it to heat up.
- In the meantime, over medium heat, add a pot to the stove with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Once hot, add the garlic.
- Sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and seasoning. Mix thoroughly. Lower the heat, cover and allow to simmer while you cook your chicken.
- When the frying oil is ready, add the chicken, making sure not to crowd the pan.
- Let the chicken cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Set aside to drain and repeat with remaining breasts.
- Set your oven to broil. While it is heating up, add about a tablespoon of sauce to each chicken breast.
- Top with fresh mozzarella. Then, top with parmesan cheese.
- Place in an oven safe baking dish and let cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and melted.
- Top with parsley and enjoy with your favorite pasta and marinara, or on a toasted baguette with extra marinara!
Ingredients
For Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1tbsp italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For Sauce
- 1-28oz can crushed tomatoes
- 3-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 1tbsp italian season
- 1tsp dry basil
- Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To Assemble
- Fresh sliced mozzarella
- Parmesan cheese, shredded
- Parsley, to garnish
