I’m not kidding when I say this is the BEST chicken parmesan you will every try! It’s perfectly crispy around the edges but tender on the inside! I couldn’t ask for anything better!
If you try any recipe on my blog, try this one! I promise you this will be the best chicken parm of your life!
My go to dish when I go to Italian restaurants is usually chicken parmesan. I love the crispy edges with the tender chicken and amazing tomato sauce on top. All those things come together to make a truly incredible dish.
The only issue is I’ve never been able to re-create chicken Parmesan at home that’s as good as the restaurant one. So I set my mind to it and just went for it. After making it a couple times I figured out how to make the chicken Parmesan of my dreams. (To be honest, this might even be better than some restaurants.🤭😉)
Secrets to the Perfect Chicken Parm
The biggest secret of all to the perfect chicken Parm is this: butterfly the chicken breast then beat it with a meat tenderizer.
So, to butterfly the chicken breast you’re going to lay the chicken breast on a cutting board, put your hand flat on top of it, and begin cutting through to make a thinner piece of chicken. Be sure to not cut it all the way to the other side. Leave that side connected then open up the breast like a butterfly.
If that didn’t make much sense here’s a link with pictures of the process: Three-step guide to butterflying chicken breasts
After you’ve butterfly the chicken breast, put it between two pieces of cling wrap and hound it with the flat side of meat tenderizer until it’s all one thickness. This step is a game changer for your chicken Parm! I try making a chicken with and without the step and it was 100 times better when I tenderize it.
After that first it now we’re going to marinate the chicken. Please sit on a baking sheet, drizzle olive oil across all the pieces, then sprinkle with salt to taste. (Don’t be too light with the salt.) stick it into the fridge, and let it marinate for 30 minutes to an hour. The step will make the chicken even juicier.
The last secret is the breading!
First level of the breading is the flour mixture. (Be sure to get the flour in all the crevices of the chicken.) The flour should stick pretty easily because it has a layer of olive oil around the outside.
Next comes the eggs. Beat these really well before trying to dip in the chicken. You do want big bits of whites to be stuck to one piece of chicken. Then just dip the chicken to let the eggs cover all sides.
Lastly comes breadcrumbs. These on top of the flour and eggs is what give the chicken that amazing crispy factor that we’re aiming for.
One extra tip is to use a quality tomato/marinara sauce. The best option is to make homemade but I understand that that’s not an option for everyone so, whatever jarred sauce you use, make sure its a great quality. This will really boost the chicken farm up to the next level! 😉
Ok, that’s all you need to know! Good luck fellow home chefs! Enjoy! <3
Chicken Parmesan Recipe
AuthorbasilanddillDifficultyIntermediateButterfly your chicken breasts* then place them between two pieces of cling wrap and beat them with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until the chicken breasts are evenly thick. Place them all on a baking sheet, drizzle a bit of olive oil on top, and sprinkle salt to taste. Place that sheet into the fridge to marinate for 30-60 minutes.
In one bowl, whisk together 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together three eggs and half a tsp of salt. In one last bowl, pour and spread out 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs. With each piece of chicken, dip it into the flour, then eggs, and lastly the breadcrumbs.**
In a large frying pan, pour about 1/4-1/3 cup of a neutral oil (enough to go about 1/2 an inch up the sides of the pan). Turn the heat up to medium-high and, when it's hot, begin carefully placing in peces of chicken. (Only put in as many as will fit in the. pan comfortably.) Fry the first side until it is golden brown then flip and cook till the second side is golden brown as well. Check the temp of the chicken throughout cooking. When it reaches 165 degrees F, take it out of the pan and onto a paper towel. (This should take about 4-5 minutes per side.) Repeat this step until you're out of chicken.***
Place all the cooked chicken onto a large baking sheet and top it with a few spoonfulls of marinara sauce and a handfull of cheese. (Careful to not cover the edges of the chicken pieces. Leave those open to crisp up!) Put that sheet into the broiler on high and cook for 5-8 minutes until the cheese developes a golden brown color. Let it chill out of the oven for 5 minutes then enjoy!!
Ingredients
Directions
Butterfly your chicken breasts* then place them between two pieces of cling wrap and beat them with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until the chicken breasts are evenly thick. Place them all on a baking sheet, drizzle a bit of olive oil on top, and sprinkle salt to taste. Place that sheet into the fridge to marinate for 30-60 minutes.
In one bowl, whisk together 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together three eggs and half a tsp of salt. In one last bowl, pour and spread out 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs. With each piece of chicken, dip it into the flour, then eggs, and lastly the breadcrumbs.**
In a large frying pan, pour about 1/4-1/3 cup of a neutral oil (enough to go about 1/2 an inch up the sides of the pan). Turn the heat up to medium-high and, when it's hot, begin carefully placing in peces of chicken. (Only put in as many as will fit in the. pan comfortably.) Fry the first side until it is golden brown then flip and cook till the second side is golden brown as well. Check the temp of the chicken throughout cooking. When it reaches 165 degrees F, take it out of the pan and onto a paper towel. (This should take about 4-5 minutes per side.) Repeat this step until you're out of chicken.***
Place all the cooked chicken onto a large baking sheet and top it with a few spoonfulls of marinara sauce and a handfull of cheese. (Careful to not cover the edges of the chicken pieces. Leave those open to crisp up!) Put that sheet into the broiler on high and cook for 5-8 minutes until the cheese developes a golden brown color. Let it chill out of the oven for 5 minutes then enjoy!!
Note
- Check out this site to see step by step pictures of how to butterfly a piece of chicken. It’s easier than it seems. I promise! ;)*
- Be sure that all the breading layers completely covert the chicken. Don’t leave any piece of it bare because it won’t crisp up and turn a beautiful golden brown.**
- Between each batch of chicken, pull out little bits of burnt breading so you don’t burn the next batches.***