Chicken Parmesan

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 large eggs

1 cup panko bread crumbs, or more as needed

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or more if needed

½ cup olive oil for frying, or as needed

½ cup prepared tomato sauce

¼ cup fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

½ cup grated provolone cheese

2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Place chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch.

Season chicken thoroughly with salt and pepper. Using a sifter or strainer; sprinkle flour over chicken breasts, evenly coating both sides

Beat eggs in a shallow bowl and set aside.

Mix bread crumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in a separate bowl, set aside.

Dip a flour-coated chicken breast in beaten eggs. Transfer breast to the bread crumb mixture, pressing crumbs into both sides. Repeat for each breast. Let chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat 1/2 inch olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Cook chicken in the hot oil until golden, about 2 minutes per side. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.

Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Top each breast with 2 tablespoons tomato sauce. Layer each chicken breast with equal amounts of mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and provolone cheese. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over top and drizzle each with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.

Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is browned and bubbly and chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Notes

In fact, chicken Parmesan is one of those meals that's often best made in your own kitchen. The main problem I have with most versions of Chicken Parmesan served in restaurants is that they drown the chicken in so much sauce and cheese that it ends up being a big soggy clump of chicken and cheese. But it doesn't have to be that way, not with this method.

Unlike many restaurant preparations, this method doesn't overwhelm the chicken with sauce and cheese. The key to great non-soggy chicken Parmesan? Don't put any sauce under the chicken cutlets, just a little bit of sauce on top, so the breading stays relatively crisp. If you like a lot of sauce on your chicken Parmesan, that's fine, you can always serve extra sauce on the side. I also use some actual Parmesan cheese in this recipe! Curiously, most versions of chicken Parmesan only use mozzarella. Here, I'm going with a delicious mixture of fresh mozzarella, tangy Provolone and real Parmesan.

Another little trick I employ here is to add some grated Parmesan to the breadcrumbs, which adds another layer of flavor. You'll fry the breadcrumb and Parmesan crusted chicken breasts just to golden brown before transferring them to a baking pan and adding sauce (but not too much!), cheese, and herbs. Okay, now let's break it down.

Nutrition

• Calories: 471 kcal
• Total Fat: 25 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 187 mg
• Sodium: 840 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 25 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Total Sugars: 2 g
• Protein: 42 g