Certain meals just kind of scream comfort to me and Chicken Parmigiana is one of them. There’s something so decadent about cutting into that perfectly moist chicken breast covered in tomato sauce and melted cheese that I feel like an Italian queen.
Although there is a little prep required this is an easy meal to make.
Just pound the chicken breasts until they’re evenly thin.
Put your flour and seasonings in a wide dish (or on a plate) so that your breasts will fit without spilling the flour mixture all over.
Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, then a beaten egg, then in breadcrumbs.
Heat a little olive oil in a skillet and sauté the breasts until they’re a lovely, golden brown which only takes about 1 – 2 minutes per side depending on how thick you’ve left the breasts.
If you have an oven-safe skillet you can do the rest right in that pan. I don’t so I move my breasts to a baking sheet and then top each breast with a little tomato sauce and some of both the mozzarella and the parmesan.
The chicken goes in the oven for 12- 14 minutes. I want the internal temperature to reach 165°F and the cheeses to have melted and browned.
Meraviglioso!
Chicken Parmigiana
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/ 4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- I egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Pound chicken breasts with a meat mallet until evenly thick from end to end
- Place flour into a wide dish and add the next 5 ingredients
- Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture
- Beat the egg in a dish wide enough to fit the breasts
- Dip chicken into the beaten egg
- Then dip the chicken into the breadcrumbs
- Heat olive oil in skillet over a medium heat
- Sauté the chicken breasts on each side until they are a light golden brown
- Place chicken on a baking sheet and ladle a bit of tomato sauce on each breast
- Spread about 1/4 cup of the mozzarella on each breast then top each breast with half the Parmesan cheese
- Bake at 350°F for 12 – 14 minutes (until internal temperature has reached 165°F and cheese has melted and browned
To complete the meal I serve the chicken with pasta, a salad, and a little crusty bread.