How to Make Chicken Parmigiana
Heat the olive oil., Stir in the tomatoes., Bring the sauce to a simmer., Use store bought pasta sauce if you don't want to make your own., Preheat the oven., Pound the chicken., Line up three large bowls., Dip the chicken in each bowl to coat...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Heat the olive oil.
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat until it's simmering.
Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until the onions begin to get translucent and start turning brown.
This should take 1-2 minutes.Instead of an onions, you can also use a shallot.
Try peeling and grating the onion instead of chopping it.The onion will cook faster this way.At this stage, you can add 1/2-3/4 cup of wine to your sauce if you want.
If you add the wine, allow it to bubble until the color turns dark and the sauce is reduced by half. -
Step 2: Stir in the tomatoes.
Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper to the pan.
Stir together and bring to a boil.
Other herbs you can add to your sauce are parsley and a bay leaf.
You can also add red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.You might also want to add a pinch of sugar to the sauce.
This can counteract some of the acidity in the sauce. , When the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.The sauce is done when it has thickened and is no longer watery.
One variation of the sauce is to stir in some grated Parmesan cheese during the last 10 minutes the sauce is cooking. , If you are pressed for time or don't want to bother with a homemade sauce, just use pasta sauce from a jar. , Before you beginning preparing your chicken, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. , Slice the chicken breasts in half.
Do this along the fat, rounded sides to butterfly them open.
Then, place them in a plastic bag and pound them to an even thickness.
The chicken breasts should be very thin, around 1/8"-1/2" thickness.Pounding the chicken helps to tenderize the chicken.
It also evens out the chicken so the thick and thinner spots don't fry differently.The plastic bag protects the room from the chicken just in case any raw chicken parts go flying as you pound it. , In the first large bowl, place the flour.
In another bowl, place the egg.
Beat the egg after placing it in the bowl, and season with a little salt and pepper.
In the third bowl, combine panko, rosemary, thyme, parsley, and cheese.
Panko crumbs are Japanese bread crumbs.
Instead of Parmigiano-Reggiano, you can use Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, or an Italian blend. , Start by placing the chicken in the first bowl to coat with flour.
Remove and shake off the excess.
Then, place the chicken in the second bowl and coat with egg.
Let the excess drain off.
Then coat the chicken evenly with the breadcrumb mixture in the third bowl.An alternate way to cook the chicken is just to coat it in flour instead of the egg and breadcrumbs.For a lighter, healthier version, use egg substitute instead of eggs.Another lighter, healthier alternative is to sprinkle an extremely light coating of flour on the chicken before adding the egg and breadcrumbs. , In a large frying pan, heat the oil on medium to medium-high heat.
Drop the chicken into the pan and cook on each side until the chicken is golden brown.
It should take about 3-5 minutes.
Make sure not to crowd the chicken in the pan when placing multiple cutlets in it.Reduce the heat if the crumbs are burning.
For a healthier version, bake the chicken instead of frying.
To do this, place the chicken on a wire rack or on a cooking dish coating with cooking spray.
Bake at 375 degrees.
If you are baking with a wire rack, cook for 20-25 minutes.
If you are baking in the baking dish, turn the chicken over after 10 minutes, cooking it for a total of 20 minutes.Another healthy alternate is to skip the breading process completely.
Instead, you can marinate the chicken in olive oil and garlic, then place directly into a baking dish before adding the sauce. , Pour your tomato sauce into a 9x13 baking pan.
After the chicken has browned, place it on top of the sauce.
Spoon sauce over each piece of chicken, then sprinkle with basil.Top with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Instead of Parmigiano-Reggiano, you can use Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, or an Italian blend. , Place the baking dish in the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted and turned a golden brown color on top.This should take about 5-7 minutes.
If you are choosing the healthy alternative and baking the chicken in the sauce, bake for about 20-25 minutes.
Check the chicken to see if it is cooked.
If it is still raw in places, cook for longer.
Place the cheese on top of the sauce about 5-7 minutes before you are ready to take the chicken out. , Remove the chicken parmigiana from the oven.
Serve a cutlet with additional sauce over a bed of whatever pasta you prefer.
You can use spaghetti, angel hair, or even rotini. -
Step 3: Bring the sauce to a simmer.
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Step 4: Use store bought pasta sauce if you don't want to make your own.
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Step 5: Preheat the oven.
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Step 6: Pound the chicken.
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Step 7: Line up three large bowls.
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Step 8: Dip the chicken in each bowl to coat.
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Step 9: Heat the oil.
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Step 10: Spread tomato sauce into a baking pan.
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Step 11: Bake the chicken parmigiana.
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Step 12: Serve on a bed of pasta.
Detailed Guide
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat until it's simmering.
Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until the onions begin to get translucent and start turning brown.
This should take 1-2 minutes.Instead of an onions, you can also use a shallot.
Try peeling and grating the onion instead of chopping it.The onion will cook faster this way.At this stage, you can add 1/2-3/4 cup of wine to your sauce if you want.
If you add the wine, allow it to bubble until the color turns dark and the sauce is reduced by half.
Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper to the pan.
Stir together and bring to a boil.
Other herbs you can add to your sauce are parsley and a bay leaf.
You can also add red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.You might also want to add a pinch of sugar to the sauce.
This can counteract some of the acidity in the sauce. , When the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.The sauce is done when it has thickened and is no longer watery.
One variation of the sauce is to stir in some grated Parmesan cheese during the last 10 minutes the sauce is cooking. , If you are pressed for time or don't want to bother with a homemade sauce, just use pasta sauce from a jar. , Before you beginning preparing your chicken, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. , Slice the chicken breasts in half.
Do this along the fat, rounded sides to butterfly them open.
Then, place them in a plastic bag and pound them to an even thickness.
The chicken breasts should be very thin, around 1/8"-1/2" thickness.Pounding the chicken helps to tenderize the chicken.
It also evens out the chicken so the thick and thinner spots don't fry differently.The plastic bag protects the room from the chicken just in case any raw chicken parts go flying as you pound it. , In the first large bowl, place the flour.
In another bowl, place the egg.
Beat the egg after placing it in the bowl, and season with a little salt and pepper.
In the third bowl, combine panko, rosemary, thyme, parsley, and cheese.
Panko crumbs are Japanese bread crumbs.
Instead of Parmigiano-Reggiano, you can use Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, or an Italian blend. , Start by placing the chicken in the first bowl to coat with flour.
Remove and shake off the excess.
Then, place the chicken in the second bowl and coat with egg.
Let the excess drain off.
Then coat the chicken evenly with the breadcrumb mixture in the third bowl.An alternate way to cook the chicken is just to coat it in flour instead of the egg and breadcrumbs.For a lighter, healthier version, use egg substitute instead of eggs.Another lighter, healthier alternative is to sprinkle an extremely light coating of flour on the chicken before adding the egg and breadcrumbs. , In a large frying pan, heat the oil on medium to medium-high heat.
Drop the chicken into the pan and cook on each side until the chicken is golden brown.
It should take about 3-5 minutes.
Make sure not to crowd the chicken in the pan when placing multiple cutlets in it.Reduce the heat if the crumbs are burning.
For a healthier version, bake the chicken instead of frying.
To do this, place the chicken on a wire rack or on a cooking dish coating with cooking spray.
Bake at 375 degrees.
If you are baking with a wire rack, cook for 20-25 minutes.
If you are baking in the baking dish, turn the chicken over after 10 minutes, cooking it for a total of 20 minutes.Another healthy alternate is to skip the breading process completely.
Instead, you can marinate the chicken in olive oil and garlic, then place directly into a baking dish before adding the sauce. , Pour your tomato sauce into a 9x13 baking pan.
After the chicken has browned, place it on top of the sauce.
Spoon sauce over each piece of chicken, then sprinkle with basil.Top with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Instead of Parmigiano-Reggiano, you can use Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, or an Italian blend. , Place the baking dish in the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted and turned a golden brown color on top.This should take about 5-7 minutes.
If you are choosing the healthy alternative and baking the chicken in the sauce, bake for about 20-25 minutes.
Check the chicken to see if it is cooked.
If it is still raw in places, cook for longer.
Place the cheese on top of the sauce about 5-7 minutes before you are ready to take the chicken out. , Remove the chicken parmigiana from the oven.
Serve a cutlet with additional sauce over a bed of whatever pasta you prefer.
You can use spaghetti, angel hair, or even rotini.
About the Author
Matthew Taylor
Brings years of experience writing about DIY projects and related subjects.
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