Chef notes
Who doesn't love chicken Parm? It's classic Italian American comfort food, kids and grownups both love it, and it's great for feeding a crowd.
Technique tip: Don't pound the chicken too thin — this is not the place to take your aggression out!
Swap option: I'm a big fan of shrimp Parm! It's controversial, but I stand behind my love of it.
Ingredients
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- 4 (6-ounce) boneless chicken breasts
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups canola oil
- kosher salt, to taste
- 4 slices mozzarella
- grated Parmesan cheese, to finish
- basil leaves, to finish
Preparation
For the tomato sauce:
In a pot over a medium flame, combine all ingredients and cook until the sauce simmers. Reduce heat and keep warm.
For the chicken:
1.Using a mallet, pound the chicken breasts to 1/4-inch thickness.
2.Add the eggs to a large bowl and pour the breadcrumbs and flour onto separate plates.
3.Dredge the cutlet in the flour, coating both sides, and shake off any excess. Transfer the chicken to the egg and coat again, allowing any excess egg to drip off. Lastly, dredge in the breadcrumbs and transfer to a plate.
4.Preheat the oven's broiler.
5.In a pan wide enough to hold the chicken comfortably, heat the canola oil to 350 F.
6.Fry each side of the breaded chicken cutlets until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.
7.Remove the fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to remove any excess oil. Season with salt.
8.Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread 2 ounces of sauce evenly over each cutlet. Arrange the slices of mozzarella over each cutlet and then sprinkle the Parmesan evenly on top.
9.Broil the cutlets until the mozzarella is melted.
10.Apply the remaining sauce to a serving dish. Transfer the cutlets to the dish and garnish with fresh basil.
