CHICKEN PARMESAN

Sep 23, 2012

smitten ⋅ chicken, hearty dinners, quick and easy ⋅ basil, chicken, dinner, Italian, parmesan, quick&easy ⋅ 2 comments

•This is my favorite recipe to make with chicken, well a tie with mom’s chicken enchiladas.  I’ve been making this recipe for years to a pretty biased crowd, but today I got to make for a larger audience and it went over pretty well.  I also made a gluten free version that was almost wiped out.  There are some steps to put this all together, but when you have everything set up, it’s a breeze.  Easy enough for a weeknight meal and fancy enough for company.

4 med sized boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce-I suggest a chunky garden style (no meat flavor) or try my homemade marinara sauce

2 cups flour

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

4 eggs

zest of 1 lemon

shredded parmesan cheese

2 tsp kosher salt-divided + a pinch

2 tsp black pepper-divided + a

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tbls finely chopped parsley

8 basil leaves-hand torn or cut chiffonade style

olive oil or vegetable oil for cooking

serves 4

prep and cooking time- 1 hour

350°

 

First off- get your breading station ready.  You need 3 shallow dishes.

Dish 1-flour and 1 tsp each salt and pepper, mix in with fork.

Dish 2-eggs, whisk well.

Dish 3-panko breadcrumbs, lemon zest, chopped parsley, red pepper flakes and 1 tsp each of salt and pepper.

Make sure that the chicken breasts are all the same thickness, about a 1/2 inch thick works great.  Easiest way to do this is to put chicken breast (1 at a time) in a large zip top bag, or in between plastic wrap and pound it with a meat mallet, rolling pin or heavy bottom pan.  Don’t beat the snot out of the poor things, and make sure to flip the bag over and rotate as you’re going.  Once chicken is all the same thickness, season both sides with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Heat your oven to 350°

Pour 1/2 the jar of the marinara into the bottom of a shallow baking dish, a dish that’s going to be big enough for the chicken to snugly fit. The old trusty 9×13 Pyrex is perfect.

Heat a large cast iron or frying pan and enough oil to coat the bottom (2-4 tbls) to med high heat.

Get ready for your hands to become a goopy mess.  No matter how hard I try, just can’t do the one hand wet, one hand dry thing.  Depending on the size of your chicken vs the frying pan, you might have to cook in batches; you don’t want to overcrowd the pan during this process.

Coat the chicken in the flour.

Dip into the egg.

Then into the panko mixture, pressing a little with your hands.  Coat in the egg better then I did, was a little rushed this day, but still turned out perfect!

Carefully place the chicken into the hot oil coated pan.  You only want to brown the crust to a beautiful golden brown, not completely cook the chicken.  The chicken will finish cooking through in the oven. 

When done place the chicken on top on the marinara in the baking dish.  If frying in batches, continue the steps.  Pour the remaining marinara over the chicken, but don’t completely cover the chicken.

Pop it in the oven 30-40 min until chicken is completely cooked through, internal temp 165° and no longer pink inside.  Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and back in the oven it goes until melted and bubbly.  Sprinkle with the basil♥Enjoy!

*Gluten free option- no breading station at all.  Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and lemon zest.  Grill just for the beautiful marks (don’t completely cook through) a couple of min.  Transfer to a baking dish with the marinara like above, cook through add cheese and basil.

Grab your knife and fork…..YUM!!