Best Chicken Parmesan
By Andrea GearyPublished on January 28, 2013
Time
1½ hours, plus 20 minutes resting
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
SAUCE
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, mincedKosher salt and pepper¼ teaspoon dried oregano Pinch red pepper flakes 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes ¼ teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basilCHICKEN
2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved horizontally, and pounded ½ inch thick1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (½ cup)2 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (½ cup)1 large egg 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 ½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (¾ cup)½ cup panko bread crumbs ½ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon dried oregano ¼ teaspoon pepper ⅓ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup torn fresh basilBefore You Begin
Our preferred brands of crushed tomatoes are Tuttorosso and Muir Glen. This recipe makes enough sauce to top the cutlets as well as four servings of pasta. Serve with pasta and a simple green salad.
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, and pinch red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 can crushed tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon sugar. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Off heat, stir in 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped basil and remaining 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm.
- Cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half horizontally. Cover chicken breasts with plastic wrap and pound to even ½-inch thickness with meat pounder. Sprinkle each side of each cutlet with ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Combine ½ cup shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese and ½ cup shredded fontina cheese in bowl; set aside.
- Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Whisk 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour together in shallow dish or pie plate until smooth. Combine ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ cup panko bread crumbs, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in second shallow dish or pie plate.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlet in egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Coat all sides in Parmesan mixture, pressing gently so crumbs adhere. Transfer cutlet to large plate and repeat with remaining cutlets.
- Heat ⅓ cup vegetable oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully place 2 cutlets in skillet and cook without moving them until bottoms are crispy and deep golden brown, 1½ to 2 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip cutlets and cook on second side until deep golden brown, 1½ to 2 minutes. Transfer cutlets to paper towel–lined plate and repeat with remaining cutlets.
- Place cutlets on rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over cutlets, covering as much surface area as possible. Broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to serving platter and top each cutlet with 2 tablespoons sauce. Sprinkle with ¼ cup torn basil leaves and serve immediately, passing remaining sauce separately.
for the sauce
for the chicken
Time
1½ hours, plus 20 minutes restingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
SAUCE
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
CHICKEN
2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved horizontally, and pounded ½ inch thick
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (½ cup)
2 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (½ cup)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 ½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (¾ cup)
½ cup panko bread crumbs
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅓ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup torn fresh basil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
SAUCE
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
CHICKEN
2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved horizontally, and pounded ½ inch thick
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (½ cup)
2 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (½ cup)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 ½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (¾ cup)
½ cup panko bread crumbs
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅓ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup torn fresh basil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
SAUCE
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
CHICKEN
2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved horizontally, and pounded ½ inch thick
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (½ cup)
2 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (½ cup)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 ½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (¾ cup)
½ cup panko bread crumbs
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅓ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup torn fresh basil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Traditional chicken Parmesan is a minefield of potential problems: dry meat, soggy crust, and a chewy blanket of mozzarella. To keep the meat moist, we salted the cutlets for 20 minutes, and to keep the exterior crunchy, we replaced more than half of the starchy (and consequently sog-prone) bread crumbs with grated Parmesan cheese. To keep the cheese topping tender, we mixed the usual shredded mozzarella with creamy fontina, and we placed the mixture directly on the fried cutlet so that it formed a waterproof layer between the crust and the sauce.
Before You Begin
Our preferred brands of crushed tomatoes are Tuttorosso and Muir Glen. This recipe makes enough sauce to top the cutlets as well as four servings of pasta. Serve with pasta and a simple green salad.
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, and pinch red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 can crushed tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon sugar. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Off heat, stir in 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped basil and remaining 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm.
- Cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half horizontally. Cover chicken breasts with plastic wrap and pound to even ½-inch thickness with meat pounder. Sprinkle each side of each cutlet with ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Combine ½ cup shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese and ½ cup shredded fontina cheese in bowl; set aside.
- Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Whisk 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour together in shallow dish or pie plate until smooth. Combine ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ cup panko bread crumbs, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in second shallow dish or pie plate.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlet in egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Coat all sides in Parmesan mixture, pressing gently so crumbs adhere. Transfer cutlet to large plate and repeat with remaining cutlets.
- Heat ⅓ cup vegetable oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully place 2 cutlets in skillet and cook without moving them until bottoms are crispy and deep golden brown, 1½ to 2 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip cutlets and cook on second side until deep golden brown, 1½ to 2 minutes. Transfer cutlets to paper towel–lined plate and repeat with remaining cutlets.
- Place cutlets on rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over cutlets, covering as much surface area as possible. Broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to serving platter and top each cutlet with 2 tablespoons sauce. Sprinkle with ¼ cup torn basil leaves and serve immediately, passing remaining sauce separately.
for the sauce
for the chicken
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