A couple of days ago I asked Mr. C. what he would like for dinner. He usually responds with either “whatever you feel like fixing” or “anything is fine with me” or words to that effect. But this time he said he would love some Chicken Parmesan. No problem. I could just look up the recipe in one of my own cookbooks and be on my merry way. Well low and behold; I had never written out a recipe for Chicken Parmesan. (Out of 888 recipes contained in those 2 cookbooks, you would think there would be a recipe for Chicken Parmesan.) But no cigar! So that meant I had to do some research. So I started by looking in my 2 favorite sources for all food Italian – Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (Marcella Hazan) and The Splendid Table (Lynne Rosetto Kasper). Nothing. Turns out Chicken Parmesan is not an Italian classic. In fact it’s about as American as apple pie! Hmph!
So never being one to be afraid of a challenge, I took the bold step of going online. My exploratory journey took me far and wide. But it finally came to rest on this recipe by Giada De Laurentiis. (Well the chicken part is Giada’s, with a few minor changes, but the Marinara Sauce is my very own.)
I liked the look of Giada’s recipe immediately because there was no breading action required. Not that I’m lazy or don’t appreciate a nicely breaded and sautéed cutlet, but with all the other rich ingredients cuddling up to the partially fried chicken, I felt it totally unnecessary to add more steps and not coincidentally more calories to an already very rich dish.
So the following recipe is my answer to the age old question – what would you like for dinner dear? I hope the next time I ask Mr. C. that question I will again be required to do some research. For me, a lot of the pleasure associated with cooking is in trying new recipes. (One of the reasons I never wanted to be a cook in a restaurant. I’d be forced to cook the same things over and over. I’d go stir crazy, both literally and figuratively!) So for me, most of the pleasure of adapting or creating new recipes is in the hunt. No guns required!
I hope you enjoy the recipe. Lovely served with a green or a Caesar salad and a side of buttered pasta.
- 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ tsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- ½ tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
- ½ tsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 c. Marinara Sauce, recipe follows, or purchased marinara sauce
- 1/3 c. shredded mozzarella
- ¼ c. grated Parmesan
- 1 T. unsalted butter
Whisk 1 tablespoon of the oil and herbs together in a small bowl. Set aside. Cut each chicken breast into three pieces. First cut off the thinner end. Then slice the thicker end in half horizontally. (Or if the chicken breasts are fairly small and of uniform thickness, just slice in half lengthwise.) Dry off the chicken pieces with paper towels if necessary and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a large heavy oven-proof skillet containing the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Carefully whirl the pan so that the oil coats the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken pieces and fry just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Spoon the Marinara Sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over each piece of chicken. Cut the butter into very small bits and scatter over all. Bake in a pre-heated 500 degree oven for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through.
Marinara Sauce:
- 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ c. chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 (28-oz.) can chopped or diced tomatoes (Italian tomatoes preferably)
- 1 bay leaf
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 T. chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1-2 T. butter, optional
In a large covered sauce pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes. (Take the lid off part way if the sauce is too thin.) Remove from heat, remove bay leaf, add basil and adjust seasoning. If the sauce tastes acidic, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavor.
Note: this is a very basic marinara sauce that can be used in a myriad of recipes. Leftover sauce freezes beautifully.