Description
Succulent chicken parmesan delights Italian cuisine enthusiasts with its crispy breaded exterior and melted cheese topping. Home cooks can quickly master this classic dish, creating restaurant-quality comfort food that satisfies hunger and culinary passion.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Coating Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
Seasoning and Cooking Ingredients:
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for frying
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Tenderize chicken breasts to uniform thickness, seasoning generously with salt and pepper for enhanced flavor profile.
- Create a three-stage coating process: first dust chicken with flour, then immerse in whisked eggs, finally enrobe with seasoned breadcrumb and Parmesan mixture.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high temperature, maintaining steady 375F for optimal golden-brown crust.
- Carefully fry chicken pieces until exterior turns crispy and golden, approximately 4-5 minutes per side, ensuring internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Transfer golden chicken to prepared baking sheet, lavishly spread marinara sauce across each piece, creating a vibrant crimson layer.
- Generously scatter shredded mozzarella over sauced chicken, creating a blanket of melting cheese.
- Slide baking sheet into preheated 400F oven, allowing cheese to transform into bubbling, molten perfection within 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and embellish with delicate, freshly torn basil leaves for aromatic finishing touch.
- Serve immediately while cheese remains luxuriously melted and chicken maintains crisp exterior.
Notes
- Tenderize the chicken evenly to ensure uniform cooking and prevent dry edges.
- Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound chicken breasts gently without tearing the meat.
- Choose panko breadcrumbs for extra crispiness and lighter texture compared to traditional breadcrumbs.
- Opt for freshly grated Parmesan for more intense flavor and better coating adhesion.
- Pat chicken dry before coating to help breading stick more effectively and create a crunchier exterior.
- Allow chicken to rest for a few minutes after frying to help retain moisture and develop a perfect golden crust.
- Use a meat thermometer to check internal chicken temperature reaches 165°F for safe consumption.
- Experiment with gluten-free breadcrumbs or almond flour for a low-carb alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg