Montreal Parmesan Chicken Food

CHICKEN PARMESAN STICKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack.
• Add the flour to a pie plate or dish and season with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs in a second pie plate. Mix together the panko, Parmesan, parsley and red pepper flakes in a third pie plate.
• Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally. Slice each half into 2 long strips (for 4 strips per breast). Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Skewer each piece of chicken and then dredge each through the flour, then the egg and finally the panko. Place on the prepared baking sheet and brush the chicken sticks lightly with the melted butter.
• Bake until golden brown and fully cooked, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with warm Fresh Tomato Sauce.
• Combine the olive oil, red pepper flakes and garlic in a saucepan. Saute over medium-high heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add in the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Tear the basil leaves and stir them into the sauce.

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.

MONTREAL* PARMESAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. If you're using frozen chicken, thaw it first. Follow common sense rules in thawing chicken, and when it's completely thawed, proceed:
• 2. Pre-heat your oven to 400F. I cook everything at 400, no matter what the recipe says, but if you're more comfortable at 350, just add some cooking time.
• 3. Prep a cookie sheet for baking (cover with foil & spray with Pam or coat with oil/butter/Crisco, whatever method you prefer to use for baking)
• 4. Make your breading by putting about a cup of Panko in a flat vessel (dinner plate, pie plate, whatever) and add ½ cup parmesan shreds to it. Mix together well. Set aside. If you need more, you can always mix up more, but for heaven's sake don't waste that spendy Parmesan if you don't need to :)
• 5. Sprinkle one side of the chicken with enough Montreal Chicken seasoning to form a "crust" but not so much that it falls off when you pick up the piece.
• 6. Squeeze enough butter/margarine on each breast to rub into the Montreal seasoning and make it "paste-y". You know...like gooey...should take a couple teaspoons at most. Schmear the butter & McCormick goo around until the chicken is nicely covered.
• 7. Pick up each piece of chicken and plop it, one at a time, gooey side down, into the Panko. Only bread the gooey side, and make sure the Panko goes all the way to the "edges".
• 8. Place the chicken, Panko side up, on prepared baking sheet & drizzle with some oil to help brown the crust. It shouldn't take more than a teaspoon or so for each breast: we're not oven-frying here...we just want brown & crunchy!
• 9. Bake for: FREEZING FOR LATER: 35 minutes if you plan to cool/freeze it for use later (less cook-time now means a better taste when you cook it again the night you serve it) READY TO SERVE: 45-50 minutes if you're eating it immediately BUT REMEMBER all ovens are different! If your chicken isn't "done" cook it some more, but don't just go by brownness of coating: cut it open and check the inside. No PINK allowed!
• 10. FREEZER TIPS: To use chicken after partial cooking, don't thaw it again; put it straight into a hot oven for 30-45 minutes or so, and it should thaw and finish cooking. For best results, freeze each breast individually after partial cooking, either by wrapping each one in foil* or using separate bags/bowls for each. Since you're not going to thaw it again before final cooking, by separately freezing each one, you can place them on your baking sheet easier. *Make SURE you open the foil packs completely when you place them in the oven, or your crust will be gummy. :(