Crispy Chicken Parmigiana

Chicken Prep

For this recipe you’ll need 3 good size chicken breast fillets (this is enough to feed my family of 5).

Take a sharp knife and carefully slice the fillets in half horizontally (alike butterflying them but you’ll want to complete the cut).

This will leave you with 6 fillets which you’ll want to lay flat on the worktop, cover with a sheet of clingfilm and hit with something heavy (I used a cast Iron skillet) until they are all uniform in thickness and around the depth of a £1 coin.

Marinade the Chicken

Whisk the following ingredients in a shallow bowl:

• 2 Eggs
• 2 Cloves Garlic – Minced
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley – Chopped
• 2 Pinches Salt
• 1 Pinch Black Pepper

Place the chicken in the bowl and mix to ensure its all coated.  Cover with clingfilm and put back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (overnight is better, obviously).

Prepare the Homemade Tomato Sauce

Get the following ingredients to hand:

• 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
• 1 Large Onion – Finely Chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic – Minced
• 400g Passata
• 2 Teaspoons Dark Muscovado Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Mediterranean / Italian Seasoning
• 2 Pinches Salt
• 1 Pinch Black Pepper

In a large cast iron skillet add 2 tablespoons Avocado oil and fry the onion over a high-heat for 2-3 minutes then add the garlic for 1 minute . . . stirring constantly.

Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer on a lower heat until the sauce has thickened slightly . . . takes around 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and set aside until needed later.

Prepare the Crispy Coating

Mix the following ingredients in a shallow bowl ready for coating the marinated chicken:

• 1 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1 Cup Standard Breadcrumbs
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Grated Parmesan
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

Coat the Chicken

Take the marinated chicken out of the fridge and, one at a time, coat the fillets in the lovely crumb mixture you’ve prepared and lay on a wire-rack resting on an oven tray.

Shallow Fry the Chicken

In a large cast iron skillet heat up some olive oil and shallow fry the chicken until it’s golden and crispy (around 5 minutes).

Obviously you’ll want to flip the chicken half way though and if you are extra precautious like me you’ll want to ensure it’s reached 165°f (75°c) internal before you remove.

Time for the Tomato and Cheese Goodness

Once you’ve cooked all the chicken place in a baking tray and top each one with the following:

• 4 Tablespoons of Homemade Tomato Sauce
• 2-3 Slices of Mozzarella Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
• Sprinkling of Fresh Parsley – Sliced

Note:  If you have any leftover  sauce at the end just pour around the chicken . . . don’t let any go to waste 😉

Bake at around 400°F until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling away nicely (this will take around 15 – 20 minutes).

I enjoyed mine with some fresh pasta . . . but you be you . . . do as you want.  Common suggestions include:

• Steamed vegetables.
• Mashed potatoes
• Garlic Mushrooms