Chicken Parmesan Recipe
spaghetti pomodoro, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil
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Ingredients
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Chicken
Sauce (Spaghetti Pomodoro)
Pasta & Cheese
Method
Chicken
- 1
Prep chicken
If breasts are thick, slice each horizontally to make two thin cutlets (about 1/2-inch thick) or pound between plastic wrap to even thickness. Season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- 2
Set up breading station
Place flour in a shallow dish. In a second dish, whisk eggs with milk. In a third dish, combine breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- 3
Bread the chicken
One piece at a time: dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess; dip into the egg mixture; press into the breadcrumb mixture to coat thoroughly. Set breaded cutlets on a wire rack or plate.
- 4
Pan-fry
Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Fry cutlets 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 160–165°F / 71–74°C). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. If oil darkens too much, wipe pan and add a tablespoon of fresh oil.
Sauce (Spaghetti Pomodoro)
- 5
- 6
Simmer tomatoes
Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then pour in crushed tomatoes or passata. Stir to combine, add 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low and cook uncovered 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce slightly thickens.
- 7
Finish with basil
Stir in torn fresh basil leaves in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Pasta & Assembly
- 8
Cook spaghetti
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tbsp salt. Cook 12 oz spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- 9
Toss pasta with sauce
Return drained spaghetti to the pot or a large skillet over low heat. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the pomodoro sauce and toss, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time if needed to loosen and coat the pasta evenly. Keep warm.
- 10
Assemble Chicken Parmesan
Preheat broiler to high (or oven to 425°F / 220°C). Spread a thin layer of pomodoro sauce in a 9x13-inch baking dish or ovenproof skillet. Place fried chicken cutlets in the dish. Spoon 1/3 to 1/2 cup sauce over each cutlet. Top each cutlet with slices of fresh mozzarella (about 2 oz per cutlet) and sprinkle a little grated Parmesan on top.
- 11
Melt cheese
Broil 2–4 minutes until mozzarella is melted and bubbly and edges are golden (watch closely to avoid burning). If using oven at 425°F, bake 8–10 minutes until cheese melts and starts to brown.
- 12
Serve
Place a portion of spaghetti pomodoro on each plate, set a chicken cutlet on top or beside the pasta. Spoon extra sauce from the baking dish over the chicken. Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and additional grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.
