How Italians Make Chicken Parmesan
About this recipe
Chicken Parmesan is a classic Italian-American dish that combines crispy fried chicken cutlets with a rich tomato sauce and melted cheese. This version, presented by Nick's Kitchen, emphasizes making the sauce from scratch for a fresher, more flavorful experience. By using fresh ingredients and a hands-on approach, this recipe elevates the traditional chicken parm into something truly special.
Ingredient notes
- Use seasoned breadcrumbs for added flavor, but you can substitute with plain breadcrumbs if needed.
- The pinch of sugar is used to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
Tips from Nick's Kitchen’s video
- When making the tomato sauce, squeezing the tomatoes by hand creates different textures, enhancing the sauce's complexity.
- Pound the chicken to about 1/3 inch thick for even cooking and a tender result.
- Press the breadcrumbs onto the chicken to ensure they stick well and create a crispy coating.
Good to know
- How many servings does this recipe yield?
- This recipe serves 4.
- What is the total cooking time for this dish?
- The total time to prepare and cook this chicken parmesan is 1 hour.
- What types of breadcrumbs are used in this recipe?
- The recipe uses a mix of seasoned breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs.
- How thick should the chicken cutlets be after pounding?
- The chicken should be pounded to about 1/3 inch thick.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Nick's Kitchen: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Chop the yellow onion and set aside.
- 2
Finely mince the garlic and chop the fennel seeds.
- 3
In a heavy-bottomed pot, add a splash of olive oil and the chopped onions. Sprinkle with salt and stir for 3 to 5 minutes until translucent.
- 4
Add dried oregano, crushed fennel seeds, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the pan.
- 5
Add tomato paste and stir for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns a robust color.
- 6
Open the cans of peeled tomatoes, fill them with water, swish, and add to the pot.
- 7
Using your hands, squeeze the tomatoes to break them into chunks for texture.
- 8
Season the sauce with salt, fresh cracked pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Add fresh basil on top and cover to simmer.
- 9
Prepare the chicken by slicing each breast in half horizontally to create thinner cutlets.
- 10
Place the chicken in a Ziploc bag or between plastic wrap and pound to about 1/3 inch thick.
- 11
Set up a dredging station with three plates: one with seasoned flour, one with whisked eggs, and one with a mix of seasoned breadcrumbs, panko, parmesan, minced garlic, and lemon zest.
- 12
Dredge each piece of chicken in flour, then egg, and finally the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to ensure it sticks. Place on a wire rack.
- 13
In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat enough oil to come halfway up the chicken. Wait until the oil shimmers before adding the chicken.
- 14
Fry the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Remove and let rest on a tray.
- 15
Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- Estimated the amount of sugar based on common practice for balancing acidity in tomato sauces.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Nick's Kitchen’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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