Updated Chicken Parmesan

For years I would make chicken Parmesan the way my mother taught me – and I loved it. However tastes change and I wanted to make it healthier, no frying, where the crust stays crispy. What I did was bake the chicken using a mixture of Italian cheese and panko breadcrumbs with a minimum amount of sauce. The chicken stays moist and no more soggy chicken parm.

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

3 C Plain Panko Breadcrumbs

1/3 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp Kosher Salt

2 lbs Boneless Chicken Breasts (split)

1 ½ C Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1/3 All-Purpose Flour

4 Large Eggs

2 C Marinara Sauce

12 oz Shredded Mozzarella

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Mix the panko breadcrumbs with the olive oil and kosher salt. Spread out on a large rimmed cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes or until deep golden brown, Toss every 5 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Split each chicken breast into 2 thin cutlets. Place plastic wrap on top of the cutlets and pound until the cutlet has an even thickness. Mix the toasted panko with the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and toss to mix well. In a separate bowl beat the eggs until thoroughly mixed.

Reduce the oven to 350°F.

Dip each cutlet into the flour, shaking off any excess, and then dip it into the egg. Finally dip it into the panko mixture.

MAKE AHEAD NOTE: At this point you can freeze the cutlets between layers of wax paper (see photo) and freeze them in a zipper top bag until needed. If you want to bake them frozen place them on a wire rack on a cookie sheet in a 450°F oven until cooked through, 12-15 minutes. An instant read thermometer should read 160°F at the thickest part of the chicken.

Place the breaded cutlets on a wire rack on a cookie sheet and bake them for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. An instant read thermometer should read 160°F at the thickest part of the cutlet.

Raise the oven temperature to High Broil. Top each cutlet with marinara sauce, then some grated mozzarella. Broil for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is bubbling.

* Pronto Substitutes

Grated Parmigiano Reggiano – You can substitute a good quality Locatelli Romano or Parmesan.

Mozzarella – for additional flavor use Fontina in place of the mozzarella

To print a copy of this recipe go to Updated Chicken Parmesan.