CHICKEN PARMESAN
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
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We served our Chicken Parmesan over cooked spaghetti and with some extra tomato sauce and extra grated Parmesan cheese. But you can serve it over any pasta you prefer – or make a Chicken Parmesan sub or sandwich with these Chicken Parmesan cutlets instead. Served either way – this Chicken Parmesan is one delicious meal!
INGREDIENTS
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (either four small or two large breasts)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 whole eggs
- ¼ cup light cream or half & half
- 1 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
- 2 quarts your favorite tomato sauce, see our recipe here
- 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ½ pound sliced mozzarella cheese (8 slices)
- 1 pound dry spaghetti or other favorite pasta
- Vegetable oil, for frying
INSTRUCTIONS
- If using four small breasts halves, lay each between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to about ¼ inch thick. If using two breast halves, butterfly each to open the breast up, cut in half to yield two portions per breast half, or four pieces, then pound out to about ¼ inch thick.
- To butterfly a chick breast, with a very sharp knife and the chicken breast flat on your board (the side that had the skin facing down), turn the knife blade on its side and cut into the thickest part but don't go all the way to the end. Basically, you are cutting a flap which you will then fold open. Repeat for the other side of that same breast half so when you are finished, both flaps open up like butterfly wings. Once it is in that shape, then you can gauge where to cut to divide into two portions. Repeat for both breast halves then pound to ¼ inch thick.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place a pot of water on to boil for the spaghetti.
- In a pie plate, mix flour, salt and pepper.
- In a medium bowl beat eggs with cream.
- In a third pie plate place bread crumbs.
- Pick each piece up one at a time with a fork and dip in flour, then shake, dip in egg and then in bread crumbs, making sure they are fully coated. Lay each breaded piece on a platter or on your board.
- Have the tomato sauce heated and standing by.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat about an inch of oil to 350 degrees F.
- Once hot, lay in two breaded pieces and fry on both sides, about 2-3 minutes total or just until browned. Remove with tongs to paper towels to drain and sprinkle on a little salt. Lay these in a casserole or roasting pan (ours was 11×14-inches).
- Once oil has recovered back to 350 degrees F, cook the second two pieces and again drain, salt and place in the baking pan.
- Sprinkle ½ cup of Parmesan cheese over each piece, then one cup of sauce per piece over the Parmesan, then finally top each with two slices of mozzarella cheese per piece. (Don't sauce the bottom of the pan first to keep the pieces crispy).
- Place uncovered in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- While chicken is cooking, cook the spaghetti according to the box directions.
- After 15 minutes, move the pan of chicken to the broiler and broil just long enough to brown the tops. (Ours took less than a minute to brown.)
- Serve the chicken with spaghetti, sauce and a little extra Parmesan cheese.
