It can't just be me, right? When you are presented with Parmesan chicken and you see the chicken but no Parmesan unless you add it, aren't you thinking it's a misnomer? So, I decided to create a recipe for Parmesean Chicken that includes BOTH of the title ingredients. Want to try it? Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS: 2 boneless, skinless CHICKEN breast or thigh
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup Grated, bottled PARMESAN cheese
spices in this ratio, respectively, 3:2:1/2:1/2:1 garlic powder,dried oregano, rosemary, basil, salt (or 1-2 spoons of a pre-made Italian spice mixture)

Shredded, fresh PARMESAN cheese 2 Slices Italian cheese (Provolone, Mozzarella, Asiago) Marinara sauce 2 cups Cooked pasta (your favorite)
Olive oil
Cooking spray
2 eggs whisked with a little water

Pour 1 cup oil in a pan and turn heat on to medium-allow to heat up while you perform the following tasks:

Combine bread crumbs, grated PARMESAN, and one spoon of the Italian spices and set aside on a platter Whisk eggs with water and add a dash of salt and a pinch of the Italian spice and keep close to the platter of crumbs (basting brush nearby) Slice the CHICKEN in half through the thickness so that you end up with 4 thin, CHICKEN mirrors-shaped of the original 2

Brush the bottoms of two CHICKEN pieces with egg wash and place, wet side down, on the platter of crumbs Place a slice of Italian cheese on the pieces of CHICKEN resting on the crumbs (You can also sprinkle some fresh PARMESEAN shreds on top of the slice) Position the matching piece of chicken on top of the cheese like a sandwich

Brush the exposed part of the two chicken mounds with egg wash Using either a spoon or a clean hand scoop the crumbs from the side and use it to cover the exposed, wet chicken tops

Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a shallow baking dish with the cooking spray, set aside, while the oven warms perform the following task:

Using a spatula (and fork if needed) lift each CHICKEN mound from bottom and gently lay into hot oil Cover with lid and allow the bottom of the CHICKEN to brown for about 3-4 minutes (if the complete piece of CHICKEN is submerged in oil, that is fine, too, just skip the next cooking spray step)

When the 3-4 minutes has elapsed, use spatula to remove CHICKEN from the oil and onto the greased baking dish, side-by-side

Turn heat on the stove burner off: If your chicken was not totally submerged in the oil so that the top of the CHICKEN in your baking dish has un-browned crumbs, spray the cooking spray in 1-2 sweeps over the CHICKEN tops

Place pan in oven for 10-12 minutes

Arrange cooked Pasta on a serving platter, sprinkle grated and shredded PARMESEAN over the pasta (but reserve some of the shredded type for use later)and toss with any remaining Italian spice mixture Pour warm, marinara sauce over the pasta (reserving about 1/2 cup for later)

When 10-12 minutes has passed, turn off heat to the oven and use oven mits to remove the baking pan

Using a spatula, transfer the two, browned PARMESAN CHICKEN pieces over the marinara covered pasta

The reserved marinara can now be poured over the CHICKEN, and the reserved shredded PARMESAN can be divided in half and placed atop each CHICKEN piece so that it slowly melts into the marinara

This dish is VERY filling and gives the pleasant surprise of cutting into the chicken allowing cheese to string out. Serves 2, enjoy! (Pairs with red or blush wine)

Learn more about this author, Mary Walker.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Recipes: Pasta and chicken?
We want to hear your view. Write now!