Chicken Parmigiana is one of my favorite Italian-American meals. Lemony, Parmesan encrusted, lightly fried chicken cutlets topped with melted mozzarella and served on a bed of linguini with Pomodoro sauce. It’s bright, crusty, cheesy and wonderfully delicious. I hope you enjoy it. Buen Provecho!
Chicken Parmigiana Video
Chicken Parmigiana Recipe
Chicken Parmigiana
Equipment
- large stockpot – for the linguini
- large stockpot – for the Pomodoro
- large skillet – for the chicken
- colander
- tongs
- baking sheet
- paper towels
- large spoon
- wire whisk
Ingredients
For the Pomodoro sauce
- ½ cup yellow onion – minced
- ½ cup basil leaves – chopped and divided
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 clove garlic – minced
- 28 ounce stewed whole tomatoes – San Marzano tomatoes make the best sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil – extra virgin
- 1 tsp sea salt – more to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 lemon – zested, juiced and divided
- ½ cup beef broth – only used if necessary to thin the sauce
For the chicken cutlets
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 cup breadcrumbs – unseasoned
- 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley – chopped
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese – grated and chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 chicken thighs – pounded thin
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 slice fresh Mozzarella cheese – sliced
For the pasta
- 4 quarts water
- 1 tbsp salt
- 8 ounces linguini
Instructions
For the Pomodoro sauce
- Gather and prepare the ingredients. Chop the onion, pick the basil and bay leaves, and chop the garlic.½ cup yellow onion – minced, ½ cup basil leaves, 2 bay leaves, 3 clove garlic – minced
- Chop half of the basil leaves with the garlic.
- Add the stewed tomatoes to a large glass bowl. Crush the tomatoes with clean hands, leaving some larger chunks intact.28 ounce stewed whole tomatoes
- Add the olive oil to a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Bring up to medium heat, then add the onions and salt. Sauté until soft.2 tbsp olive oil – extra virgin, 1 tsp sea salt – more to taste
- Add the chopped basil and garlic to the onions. Sauté until aromatic.
- Stir in the tomatoes
- Add the black pepper, bay leaves, and half of the lemon juice. Stir to incorporate.1 tsp black pepper, 1 lemon
- Reduce heat to a simmer, and partially over with a lid. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes to keep from scalding. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of the beef broth to thin it out.½ cup beef broth
For the chicken
- Break the egg into a glass bowl. Add the cornstarch, lemon zest, and the remaining lemon juice.1 egg, 1 tbsp corn starch
- Whisk until emulsified
- Add bread crumbs, chopped parsley, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder to a shallow dish.1 cup breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp garlic powder
- Mix it together.
- Pound chicken to about ¼ inch.2 chicken thighs
- Dredge chicken pieces in flour.1/4 cup all purpose flour
- Dip into the egg wash, followed by the breadcrumb mixture, making sure the chicken pieces are evenly and completely coated.
- In a large skillet over the stovetop, heat oil and butter over medium-low until the butter is melted and sizzling.2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp butter
- Add the breaded chicken pieces to the pan, and cook for a few minutes until browned on the bottom.
- Flip the chicken pieces over, and cook for a few minutes more to brown the other side.
- Remove to a baking sheet lined with a paper towel to drain any excess oil.
- Top the fried chicken cutlets with slices of mozzarella.4 slice fresh Mozzarella cheese
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the chicken into the hot oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
- Remove from the oven and turn off the heat.
For the pasta
- Add 4 quarts of water to a large stockpot, and bring to a boil. Add 1 tbsp salt to the boiling water.1 tbsp salt, 4 quarts water
- Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. About 12 minutes.8 ounces linguini
- When the pasta is done, strain it through a colander.
For serving
- Stir in the remaining chopped fresh basil to the sauce, and adjust seasonings to your preference. Serve by placing a portion of cooked linguini onto a plate, then ladle some of the Pomodoro sauce on top. Add a chicken cutlet and cover with more sauce. Add some grated Parmesan, and a pinch of parsley. Serve hot.
PRIVATE NOTES
Nutrition
More Information
Fresh is always better
Chicken Parmigiana tastes amazing. It tastes even better with fresh ingredients. For maximum flavor, aroma and presentation, use:
- garden basil and parsley
- freshly chopped garlic
- sliced fresh mozzarella
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
It will make a big difference if you do!
Pomodoro or Arrabbiata Sauce
Arrabbiata means ‘angry’. To spice things up, add some red pepper flakes to change your Pomodoro sauce into an Arrabbiata sauce.
Other tips
Keep the flame relatively low when browning the cutlets. This will allow enough time for the chicken to cook through without burning the crust. Keep a close eye as you cook the chicken, turning it before it over-browns. Pounding the chicken to an even thinness prior to cooking will help with this, too.
Chicken breast or thighs?
Many Chicken Parmesan recipes call for using chicken breast. While this is fine, I find chicken thighs to be more flavorful, and better sized. They pound out more easily to an even thickness, which is an important element in this recipe.
The chicken breasts you will find at the grocery store these days are huge! They are much more difficult to pound out evenly, and they result in a portion size that is way too big. This means you will likely need to cut them in half, which detracts from the presentation. White meat tends to dry out, so they are not nearly as juice and flavorful in my opinion.
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Italian Bread
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