Chicken Parmesan: Crispy Breading, Red Sauce, and Melted Mozzarella

Overview

This video details how to create chicken parmesan that preserves the crispness of the cutlet, even after being topped with marinara and mozzarella. The key is to ensure the sauce and cheese enhance the cutlet without submerging or softening its perfectly breaded armor.

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• Olive oil
• 2 cups marinara
• 8 ounces mozzarella
• Basil

Instructions

1. Split and pound 2 large chicken breasts into 4 even cutlets, then season with salt and pepper.
2. Set up dredging stations with 1/2 cup flour, 2 beaten eggs, and a breadcrumb mixture of 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs plus 1/2 cup grated Parmesan.
3. Bread each cutlet carefully: flour, egg, then crumbs, pressing the coating on so it grips.
4. Shallow fry the cutlets in olive oil until deeply golden and cooked through, then transfer them to a rack or tray.
5. Top each cutlet with a light layer of marinara, about 2 cups total for all 4 pieces, and add 8 ounces mozzarella.
6. Finish the cutlets in a 425 degree oven or under the broiler just until the mozzarella melts and begins to bubble.
7. Garnish with basil right before serving.
8. Plate immediately while the cheese still stretches and the cutlet still holds.
9. Serve hot with extra basil if you like.
10. Cut in and listen for the crust underneath.

In this video

• The main challenge of chicken parmesan is preserving the cutlet's crispness even after it is crowned with marinara and mozzarella.
• The dish succeeds when the sauce and cheese support the cutlet instead of burying it.
• Begin by splitting and pounding 2 large chicken breasts into 4 even cutlets, then season them with salt and pepper.
• Prepare dredging stations with 1/2 cup flour, 2 beaten eggs, and a breadcrumb mixture of 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs plus 1/2 cup grated Parmesan.
• Press the breading coating firmly onto each cutlet so it grips, as good breading serves as armor.
• Shallow fry the cutlets in olive oil until they are deeply golden and cooked through, transferring them to a rack or tray.
• Top each cutlet with a light layer of marinara, using about 2 cups total for all 4 pieces, and add 8 ounces mozzarella, avoiding submerging the crust.
• Finish the cutlets in a 425 degree oven or under the broiler briefly, just until the mozzarella melts and begins to bubble.
• Garnish the dish with basil right before serving to maintain the crisp edges of the cutlets.
• The ideal bite should provide a distinct experience of crisp, sauce, cheese, and chicken in that specific order.

Frequently asked questions

How do you keep chicken parmesan from getting soggy?

To keep chicken parmesan from getting soggy, ensure the cutlet stays crisp by shallow frying it first, then topping with a light layer of marinara and 8 ounces of mozzarella, being careful not to submerge the crust.

What is the best way to bread chicken cutlets for chicken parmesan?

The best way to bread chicken cutlets for chicken parmesan is to dredge them in flour, then beaten egg, and finally a breadcrumb mixture of 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, pressing the coating on so it grips.

How much mozzarella should I use for chicken parmesan?

For 4 chicken parmesan cutlets, use about 8 ounces of mozzarella, enough to flavor and melt without overwhelming the cutlet or submerging the crispy crust.

What temperature should chicken parmesan be cooked at in the oven?

Finish the chicken parmesan cutlets in a 425 degree oven or under the broiler just until the mozzarella melts and begins to bubble; this is a brief finish, not a long cook.

What is the secret to perfect crispy chicken parmesan?

The secret to perfect crispy chicken parmesan is to preserve the contrast by ensuring the cutlet stays crisp under the sauce and cheese, allowing the breading to remain as a crunchy armor.