Australia and Italy both claim it as their own. Chicken Parmigiana, or Chicken Parmesan (Italian pollo alla parmigiana) is breaded chicken breast covered in tomato sauce and mozzarella, parmesan, or provolone cheese.
Preheat oven to 350 – 400 degrees F (175 degrees C)
Warm 4 tbs olive oil in a large saucepan. Add 1 tbs minced garlic. Add 2 large chopped onions and ½ tsp crushed black pepper and ½ tsp salt. Sauté well. Add 4 small tomatoes, crushed well or pureed (Optional – add a pinch of dry red chilli flakes if you want it spicier) Cook. Add ½ tsp basil, ½ tsp oregano (or 1 tsp of dried Italian herbs) and cook until the sauce thickens.
Lightly grease a baking dish with oil or spray it with some cooking oil; set aside.
Clean and season 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts or 2 chicken breasts halved and cut into fillets. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Season with pepper and salt.
Whisk 2 large eggs with 1 tsp freshly minced garlic and 1 tsp chopped parsley. Pour egg mixture into a shallow bowl. Place 1 cup plain flour in a shallow bowl and 1 cup bread crumbs (Panko works best) in another bowl. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour and shake off the excess flour. Dip each fillet into the egg mixture, evenly coating each one, then finally, dip the fillets into the bread crumbs and coat well. Marinate for 15 minutes or overnight.
Place the chicken breasts on the baking dish and top with the cooked red sauce, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and 1 tbs grated parmesan cheese – evenly over the chicken fillets. Bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through. When the juices run clear and the cheese is melted (about 7-10 minutes) remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil or fresh parsley leaves.
Serve with pasta, mashed potato, garlic mushrooms, salad or steamed vegetables.
By Christ & Co.
