Came out just like the picture! Everyone went mad over these – will be making them over and over!
5. Smother and bake!
Alrighty – on the home stretch here!! Time to smother and bake:
How to make Chicken Parmigiana (Chicken Parmesan)
Sauce – Top with sauce, covering about 80% of the surface (leaving some crunchy exposed bits!). At this stage, I also like to sprinkle with a bit of fresh basil;
Mozzarella AND parmesan – Pile mounds of mozzarella on top – I find that shredded melts more nicely than slices, but slices work too. Or fresh mozzarella (torn into pieces). Then sprinkle with parmesan (more flavour!) and drizzle with olive oil (to ensure parmesan melts nicely rather than crispy);
BAKE for a mere 15 minutes, just so the cheese melts and you get some small brown spots. Do not bake further than you need to – this leads to dry chicken (though you can sit back smugly with the knowledge that yours is brined so it’s extra juicy) AND makes the crust totally soggy under the sauce (quick 15 minutes bake = crumbing under sauce is still a bit crispy which is unheard of!)
Finish with a fresh sprinkle of basil then serve immediately!
Overhead photo of Chicken Parmigiana (Chicken Parmesan) on a tray, fresh out of the oven
And there you have it. The best Chicken Parmigiana of your life, made in your very own kitchen!!
That moment when you cut through the molten melted cheese, then you see some tomato sauce squirting out the side, then your knife hits the chicken which you can instantly tell just by feel is so juicy, and that first bite……
UGH! I’m torturing myself describing this!!
What to serve with Chicken Parmigiana
With the cheesy tomatoey flavours going on here, I really enjoy serving this with a fairly plain leafy salad dressed with Balsamic Dressing. Otherwise, choose a Vegetable Side dish based on what you dig up after rummaging around in your fridge!
And for a blow-out Italian feast, don’t forget crusty-yet-moist Focaccia, or Garlic Bread…. then wrap it up with Tiramisu. Or if you’re after a more simple dessert, try one of these:
Warm and cosy – Apple Crumble, Strawberry Crumble, Chocolate or Butterscotch Self Saucing Pudding
Classic – Vanilla Cake, Chocolate Cake or Fudge Cake;
Quick and easy – Cinnamon Rice Pudding, Brownies
Close up of Chicken Parmigiana (Chicken Parmesan) with a garden side salad
This Chicken Parmigiana is worth the effort.
I know Chicken Parmigiana requires more effort than the usual quick ‘n easy meals. But trust me, it is worth it.
This is better than your standard pub grub. The secret lies in the layers upon layers of flavour and seasoning which, individually, sound like nothing special but together make for a memorable Parmi. The parmesan in the crumbing. The pinch of dried herbs in the marinade, the egg wash and again in the sauce. The little sprinkle of fresh basil on the sauce.
Then add the extra little tips that elevates it to better than your run-of-the-mill recipes: using tomato passata instead of crushed tomato, mounds of shredded cheese instead of slices, and leaving the schnitzel edges clear of sauce so they stay 100% crispy…
It is these little things that collectively make for an epic eating experience, one that I dare say money-can’t-buy except perhaps at the very best old school Italian restaurants.
