Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Chicken Cutlet Parmigiana

Here's another Italian American favorite. It's a very easy dish to make and everyone loves it. It's also another great way to use up leftovers. If you know how to make marinara sauce and you know how to fry up some chicken cutlets you can make this dish. In fact, I've already given you the recipes to make this dish in other posts. You just have to put it together. I'll repost the recipes for Chicken Milanese (Breaded Chicken Cutlets) and Marinara sauce here for you. Serve with spaghetti and marinara sauce and a salad and you have a delicious meal.

Chicken Cutlet Parmigiana

Ingredients:

Chicken Cutlets prepared Milanese style (aka - breaded and fried, See below
Marinara sauce, prepared, See Below
shredded mozzarella
romano cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pan or baking sheet (with high sides, like a jelly roll pan), ladle enough sauce to cover bottom of pan. Add chicken cutlets, cover with sauce, sprinkle with cheese and top with mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted and brown.





SORRY - I FORGOT TO TAKE A PICTURE OF JUST THE CHICKEN WITH THE SAUCE BUT YOU GET THE IDEA, RIGHT?



Chicken Milanese

Ingredients:

chicken cutlets
2 eggs
splash of milk
salt and pepper
romano cheese
parsley (fresh or dried)
garlic powder
canola oil, for frying

Directions:

1. Beat eggs and mix with milk, salt, pepper and garlic powder and a few teaspoons of cheese.

2. In another dish mix breadcrumbs with garlic powder, parsley and about 1/4 cup romano cheese (maybe more).

3. Dip cutlets in egg mixture (let excess drip off) and then cover with breadcrumbs pressing down with your hands to get the breadcrumbs to adhere to chicken. Do this on both sides.

4. If you have extra egg mixture and breadcrums you can make bread patties or polpette (that's what Nanny called them). Add the breadcrumbs to the egg and mix it together with a fork. Once combined form little patties with your hands.

5. Let oil get very hot. Make sure you use enough oil to completely cover the pan and go up the sides a little bit. You don't want to keep adding cold oil to the pan because it will drop the temperature and the cutlets will absorb too much oil. Fry cutlets (and bread patties if making) until browned. Turn and cook the other side.

6. As your cutlets and patties are done add them to a paper towel lined plate and put a piece of paper towel between each layer to absorb excess oil.

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
4 cloves minced garlic
1 medium onion, diced
3 tsp chopped fresh basil (use less if dried)
1-2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp sugar
extra virgin olive oil

*Note - When using dried herbs don't double the amount exactly if you want to double the recipe. It may overpower the sauce.

Feel free to use fresh frozen or dried herbs. Sometimes I use the Italian Seasoning but this time I didn't because I didn't want it to overpower the flavor of the kale. It's a preference, it will be good either way.

Directions:

Sweat onions in extra virgin olive oil and then add garlic in oil. Let it cook for a minute or to and then add crushed red pepper and frozen or dried herbs. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and sugar. If using fresh herbs add now. Let it come to a boil and then lower heat. Cook on medium for 30-40 minutes. Taste it and adjust seasoning as needed.


15 comments:

Megan said...

Love chicken parm! I make mine sort of like this... but I put cooked spaghetti in the bottom of the dish, stir it up with some sauce, and then top with the chicken, more sauce, and cheese and bake it all together.


And I always cook up the extra egg mixture with the breadcrumbs... prob my favorite part. I snack on the bread patties while I'm cooking and dip them in the sauce to taste-test it!

Danielle said...

this is one of my favorite dishes! mmmmm good stuff.

Dajana said...

So delicious!

DDpie said...

Quick and easy but soooo flavorful! I'm gonna send this to my niece too!

Michele said...

Thank you everyone!

Megan that is a great idea! I never thought of making it that way. I usually just serve spaghetti on the side. Oh and the bread patties are my snack too! Got to keep the cook happy!

Dani - I fyou have any letover sauce from those meatball sammys you can make it.

Spryte said...

This is one of my favorite meals! I try to make it every year for my friend Ericka's birthday, because she loves it too!

Sara said...

I don't have any of these ingredients in my house right now, but you have me craving chicken parm now. mmmmmm....

Pam said...

Chicken parm is one of my favorites - yours looks really tasty.

Bob said...

Even though I like chicken and tomato sauce I've never been a fan of breaded chicken in tomato sauce. Not sure why... Individually it all looks fantastic though. ;)

Dionne said...

I have never been happy with my homemade marinara sauce. I love this recipe though. I am going to book mark this!

Dawn said...

winter time means chick parm time in our house! nicely done Michelle!

Patti T. said...

This is one of my favorite dishes also. Now with the cooler weather I am just flooded with ideas for nice warming comfort food! Yours looks great!

Amber said...

This looks delish!

Unknown said...

Unless I'm just not seeing it, maybe you want to include breadcrumbs on the list of ingredients for the milanese?

Unknown said...

Hi Michele - I love this site! I'm not sure I came across it yet but I know you made a cute comment about your grandmother not being happy you like the Sicilian rice balls best. That sounds like a comment MY grandmother would say! LOL. She was from Verona. Where was your grandmother from? (I'm guessing south, since she used a lot of red sauces). Also, on this recipe, unless I'm missing it, you might want to put breadcrumbs on the list of ingredients for the Milanese. It looks amazing!