Better Than My Moms Chicken Parm Food

THE BEST CHICKEN PARMESAN

Steps:

• Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Line another rimmed baking sheet with foil. Cut two 12-inch sheets of plastic wrap.
• Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, making 4 roughly equal pieces; they should look like large chicken tenders. Place one sheet of plastic on a clean cutting board. Put one chicken piece in the center of the plastic and top with the other sheet of plastic. Pound the chicken with the flat side of a meat mallet, starting in the center and working your way to the edges, until the chicken is 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken, one piece at a time. Liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Put the flour in a pie plate and dredge the chicken 1 piece at a time, turning to coat and packing the flour into the crevices. Shake to remove any excess and return to the rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Whisk the breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk the milk and egg in a medium bowl until combined. Dip the dredged chicken into the milk mixture, allowing any excess to drip off. Then pack the seasoned breadcrumbs firmly onto the chicken. Very gently
• shake off any excess and return to the rack. Refrigerate uncovered at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat 1/3 cup of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook until very fragrant but not brown, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, basil and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the tomatoes are very tender and the liquid has reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Smash the tomatoes with a potato masher until almost smooth; it's ok if it's a little chunky. Season with salt.
• Heat the remaining 1/2 cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cutlets and cook until the coating is golden brown, about 1 minute per side; the chicken will not be cooked through. Transfer to the foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer 3 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining cutlets.
• Arrange an oven rack directly under the broiler and preheat to high. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, spaced 3 inches apart. Top each cutlet with 2/3 cup of the sauce and spread evenly to coat. Sprinkle each cutlet with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Broil until the cheese melts and starts to brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the spaghetti, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain and transfer to the remaining sauce. Gently stir until the sauce coats the pasta. Transfer the spaghetti to a serving dish and top with the chicken. Sprinkle with more Parmesan and serve with torn basil.

BETTER-THAN-MY-MOM'S CHICKEN PARM

Steps:

• Mix two eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, mix 3 parts Italian breadcrumbs to 1 part flour. This helps bind the breading to the chicken more easily and prevents it from falling off in the frying pan. In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup of your salad dressing.
• Trim excess fat from chicken and rinse under cool water. Bathe chicken thoroughly in egg mixture, then lightly coat in dressing. Place chicken in breadcrumbs and press down, covering completely.
• In a large saucepan, add 2/3 cup of vegetable oil and 1/3 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Toss a few drops of water onto oil to make sure it's hot. Add your chicken and cook about 12 minutes (longer for bigger cuts of chicken). Cook chicken in two batches to ensure each piece is evenly cooked.
• Preheat your oven to 400. In a medium bowl, empty your sauce and add 1/4 cup of water. Mix. Spoon a thin layer of sauce mixture into a large casserole dish. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese into dish. Add chicken into dish as it's finished. Cover each piece of chicken generously with sauce and cheese. Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.
• Serve over pasta and add extra sauce, as needed.

CHICKEN PARM

Steps:

• Cut the butterflied and pounded breasts into 6 to 8 even pieces. Season with the salt on both sides and place on a rack set inside a sheet pan (technically we use "half" sheet pans for this). Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Combine the breadcrumbs, potato chips, oregano, parsley and garlic powder in a gallon zip-top bag and crush into a course meal.
• Set up a breading station with three loaf pans: place the flour in the first pan, the beaten eggs in the second, and the breadcrumb mixture in the third. Set a clean wire rack inside a sheet pan to hold the breaded pieces.
• Unwrap the chicken and blot well with paper towels then dredge the chicken first in the flour (shake off the excess), then dip in the beaten eggs (again, drain the excess), and finally coat with the breadcrumbs before placing on the rack.
• Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven and crank the broiler to high. Line a clean pan with paper towels and have it standing by.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in an 11-inch sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter foams, add half the breaded chicken to the pan, but don't overcrowd. Cook, undisturbed, until crisp and golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the clean rack, wipe out the pan and repeat with the remaining butter, oil and chicken.
• Spread 3/4 cup of the red sauce into the bottom of a a 9-by-13-inch broiler-safe baking dish or pan and broil until the sauce bubbles and begins to caramelize, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the dish from the oven and arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer. Dot the chicken with the remaining red sauce, leaving bare spots to retain some crispy bits. Scatter the fontina and mozzarella over the sauce.
• Return to the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, about 1 minute to 1 minute and 30 seconds.
• Garnish with chopped flat-leaf parsley.
• Work the garlic, salt and 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil together with a mortar and pestle until a paste forms.
• Heat the remaining 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic paste and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
• Add the anchovies and the red pepper flakes and cook until the anchovies begin to break down, about 1 minute. (I usually use the back of a wooden spoon to crush the anchovies.)
• Add the tomatoes and break them up with the back of the spoon then submerge the Parmesan rind in the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, until the sauce is almost dry, about 1 hour.
• Discard the Parmesan rind or feed it to the dog. Use the sauce immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge. (See Cook's Note.)

CHICKEN PARMESAN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place cutlets between two pieces of parchment or plastic wrap. Using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin, pound meat to even 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Place flour, eggs and panko into three wide, shallow bowls. Season meat generously with salt and pepper. Dip a piece in flour, then eggs, then coat with panko. Repeat until all the meat is coated.
• Fill a large skillet with 1/2-inch oil. Place over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, fry cutlets in batches, turning halfway through, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle one-third of the Parmesan over sauce. Place half of the cutlets over the Parmesan and top with half the mozzarella pieces. Top with half the remaining sauce, sprinkle with another third of the Parmesan, and repeat layering, ending with a final layer of sauce and Parmesan.
• Transfer pan to oven and bake until cheese is golden and casserole is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving.