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5 from 16 votes

Chicken Parmigiana

Crispy chicken cutlets are topped with a simple marinara sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese, and baked until melty.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the sauce

  • 1 28 ounce can whole plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
  • 5 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper optional, see notes below
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano optional

For the chicken

  • 1 pound chicken cutlets thin-sliced, about 6 cutlets
  • 1 cup flour for dredging, will not need all flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 large eggs beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1-2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano finely grated

Instructions

Making the sauce

  • In a saucepan saute the garlic in a ¼ cup of olive oil over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden. Add in the hot red pepper flakes (optional) and cook for 30 seconds more.
  • Add the tomatoes, stir together, and bring the sauce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and oregano (optional).
  • Taste test the sauce, and adjust salt and pepper if required. When satisfied set the sauce aside.

Frying the cutlets

  • Mix 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a 1/4 teaspoon pepper into the flour.
  • Dredge the cutlets in the flour and shake off excess, then dip into the egg, and then into the breadcrumbs. Place the breaded cutlets onto parchment paper and set them aside.
  • Pour the olive about ¾” high into a large heavy frying pan and heat oil to 350 to 370f. The burner should be set to about medium heat and take about 5-7 minutes to get to ~350f.
  • When the oil reaches frying temp, add the cutlets into the pan and fry in batches. The cutlets will take approximately 3 minutes per side. Place finished cutlets on a wire rack to cool.

Assembling the chicken parmigiana

  • Preheat oven to 400f
  • Place a thick layer of sauce (about a 1/4") on the bottom of a large baking dish. Space out the chicken cutlets in the dish and cover them with another thick layer of sauce. Note: You do not have to use all of the sauce.
  • Next sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese, dividing evenly between all the chicken cutlets. Sprinkle half of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on top.
  • Bake the chicken parmigiana in the oven for 5 minutes (12-15 minutes if starting with cold cutlets) then broil for 30-60 seconds to brown the top.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese all over. Let the chicken parmigiana settle for 5 minutes before eating. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • If you follow the full recipe for the sauce, cutlets, and assembly, the chicken will only need 5 minutes to bake before broiling, due to the cutlets still being warm.  If using cold cutlets the baking time will need to be increased to 12-15 minutes before final broiling.
  • Any extra sauce can be served on the side.
  • Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the oven at 350f until warm.
  • SAUCE/NO SAUCE:  as mentioned in the body of this post chicken parmigiana can be served wet with the sauce on the bottom and top of the chicken.  It can also be enjoyed with just a bit of sauce on top to retain the cutlet's crispiness factor.  This is 100% a personal choice.    

Nutrition

Calories: 904kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.9g | Protein: 58.7g | Fat: 53.9g | Saturated Fat: 15.4g | Cholesterol: 259mg | Sodium: 1272mg | Potassium: 776mg | Fiber: 4.7g | Sugar: 13g | Calcium: 541mg | Iron: 5mg