When you think classic, Italian cooking, what do you think of? I think about chicken parmesan which makes me think of my brother because it’s his favorite Italian dish so, this ones for you Benny boy!
Chicken Parmesan can be fixed approximately 493 ways. Approximately. Everyone has their own little spin on this dish so I’ll just throw mine in the ring. My chicken parmesan is not breaded nor deep fried but rather, lathered in an herbal oil, shallow pan-fried and finished off in the oven. Remember a couple of days ago when I suggested using herbs to add flavor (not fat) to your meals? Well, here’s another way to use those herbs!
Just add some rosemary, thyme and parsley to olive oil and you have a seriously delicious oil that would be good on just about anything! You could use it for fish, a skirt steak, roasting vegetables, a dip for bread, add it to your pizza dough mix, you get the point. The longer you let the oil sit, the better it is going to taste.
Last note I will make about this recipe… What are chicken cutlets? Chicken cutlets are simply chicken breasts that have been cut in half lengthwise. The purpose of using chicken cutlets as opposed to regular chicken breasts is that they will cook faster and more evenly and won’t dry out. Those huge chicken breasts you get from COSTCO or the super saver club pack you get at the grocery store will be dry as a bone if you don’t cut those suckers in half.
| Chicken Parmesan |
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 (3-ounces each) chicken cutlets
- 1 1/2 cups Marinara Sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- 16 teaspoons grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
- Stir the oil and herbs in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a heavy large oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of mozzarella over each cutlet, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Parmesan over each. Sprinkle the butter pieces atop the cutlets. Bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Recipe Source: Giada De Laurentiis
