Chicken Parmigiana: From my house to your taste buds…

I grew up in a predominantly New York Italian neighborhood. Food staples at the home were a blend of American and semi Kosher Style, which meant that we could break rules and eat whatever we wanted.  Cheeseburgers were not taboo.  However, we didn’t really mix meat and dairy too frequently. I remember making beef street tacos for a dinner date in college a few years ago. The lady asked for a glass of whole milk and I knew that was going to be the last time we ate together. Garth would have “hurled.” Moving forward, my mother, an excellent cook, fed us lots of red meat proteins, Kosher meats, Deli Food, American Cuisine, 365 ways to make chicken, and various Italian dishes…  Both of my sisters also developed an intense love for Italian dishes–Eggplant Parmigiana, pasta permutations, classic Chicken Parmigiana, et al.  My father still loves Italian food and could probably eat Spaghetti and meatballs everyday. My wife and I made fresh pasta in Tuscany a few years ago…These meatballs are made with beef, pork, and veal:

 

In addition to going to typical supermarkets (Waldbaum’s, Acme, PathMark, ShopRite, et al), we were blessed with many Salumeria’s: Cangiano’s (sic), Pastosa (sic), et al.  Lines were out the door… Ravioli was made in house, fresh Semolina Italian Bread (like a French Baguette), peppers were always roasted, E.V.O.O. was imported from Italy, dry-cured ham/pork (Prosciutto De Parma, Sopressata, Salami, et al)  would hang and age from the ceiling. It was like living in Italy, but I didn’t actually visit the northern region until a few years ago…

 

Benny (I think he passed), the Italian owner of Pastosa in Eltingville, Staten Island, made a financial killing and people didn’t care.  If there is amazing food, people will gladly pay for it.  Generally speaking, people develop a love for childhood food; it must make an unforgettable imprint in the brain–possibly the emotional Limbic System… My scientific friends can speak to that part.  I’m just here for the food and the great memories.   Enter my love for Chicken Parmigiana… It’s a classic breaded cutlet with mozzarella and tomato sauce. One can serve it with pasta or on a “hero,” which people call “subs” elsewhere.  I love the former plated version with pasta, but truly prefer the latter on a freshly toasted seeded Italian Bread; when I bite into that hero, the crunch is so deafening, and I just love that texture (thank god I still have teeth).

Mise en place…

Cut the chicken breast into evenly sized pieces.  When you buy any pack (family pack, whatever), the pieces are butchered in a way where they’re generally uneven.  Either go for a medium thickness, or you pound it down a la Milanese… Again, I prefer the former; the latter is messy and mucho labor.  Use a really sharp knife to butterfly the very thick pieces. Cut off any fat; there shouldn’t be any tendons (so we hope).  Cut off the smaller runt pieces and place into a ziplock bag; marinade and save for a different meal, E.G. Asian stir fry. Lightly jab all of the chicken breasts with the end of your knife on both sides. You will be dealing with a ton of raw meat in this stage. Use a dedicated cutting board ONLY for raw meat. Prepare to wash your hands several times and sanitize everything. Use either bleach or vinegar, but do NOT use them both simultaneously.  Nothing says “buzz killer” quite like food poisoning and Salmonella…

I season the raw chicken with fresh coarse black pepper, granulated garlic (no salt), and seasoned meat tenderizer (this is not traditional). It sits while I set up everything else…

Set up your station:  Dry, wet, dry=A.P. Flour, egg, breadcrumbs; EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE SEASONED during every step of the prepping and cooking process.

You’ll need 2 big skillets and several rectangular pans–there’s raw meat and the cooked cutlets will go into pans and eventually finish in the oven.

You’ll need a full bottle of E.V.O.O. because you’ll constantly be adding oil to the skillet… If you’re doing Weight Watchers, this will most likely deplete your points for the week…

Mozzarella and other cheeses:  There are so many choices.  However, I LIKE a blend of part skim LOW MOISTURE Mozzarella and freshly shredded Parmigiano Reggiano (sic). If you want to go in a creamier direction, use whole milk or Buffalo.  This is the subjective part… I like the combination of cream and “funk” in this dish and also on my pizza…

Have all of your seasonings and herbs readily available:  Salt, Pepper, Granulated Garlic, Oregano, Basil (dried and fresh), Parsley…

Figure out if you want to make a sauce or use an excellent sauce from a jar.  Sorry, if that kills my credibility.  There is a lot of work to do here, so I’m cutting corners with the sauce.  However, I can make a sauce during the summer when I have more time… If you go with something from a jar, take the time to find a sauce that’s neither overly commercial (like Ragu), nor overly thick.  It should be bright red, have onions, garlic, basil, E.V.O.O., possibly a touch of vino, and very little in the way of preservatives.  Every time I find a jarred sauce for this dish, it disappears. Caviat Emptor:  The great sauces are not going to be cheap.  However, splurge on a better sauce so you can focus on cooking the chicken and other side dishes…

Preheat the oven to 325…

It’s time to cook…

Take your rested and ready-to-go seasoned raw chicken breasts and dip in the flour dredge, scrambled egg, and bread crumbs (classic dry-wet-dry preparation). PRESS THE BREAD CRUMBS INTO THE CHICKEN WITH SOME FORCE; shake off the excess. Transfer to your medium-heated skillet with the E.V.O.O. and fry on both sides until golden brown.  The number of minutes per side depends upon how hot the oil gets.  If it smokes, remove from the heat or spill it out and add fresh oil. Transfer to one of your rectangular pans and season lightly with salt.  When you have fried several pieces, coat with Mozzarella and aforementioned parmesan cheese… Put in the oven on the top shelf. Finish off the remaining chicken in the skillet, and repeat the process…  Ideally, you want the chicken in the oven for around 20 minutes. The cheese needs to run and turn a little brown. I’ll go with an internal temperature circa 165 degrees. I prefer cooked chicken with juices still inside of it… Oven over-exposure tends to dry out proteins.  I like to add the heated tomato sauce at the end on top, whereas others like to submerge the chicken in a swimming pool of sauce.  If you do that, then say buh bye to the crunchy texture; the breading/coating might also fall off.  Again, this is subjective.  I’ve had it both ways…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plating it up…

Before you take the chicken out of the pan, add a few pinches of salt, fresh cracked pepper, and herbs over every piece.  I like dried basil and oregano, whereas some people go for parsley.  If you have fresh basil, chiffonade (sic) 20 seconds before sprinkling. I love fresh basil, as it adds an amazing sweetness and authenticity to the dish.  Serve with pasta, a Caesar Salad, and/or your favorite vegetable. Take a bite, process, and enjoy it! It also freezes well, so make extra!

Wrapping it up… 

Here’s the part where I would love to hear some feedback or tell me how YOU make this dish.  Tell me about a great experience (an anecdote) you had with friends or the 10,000 Chicken Parmigiana subs you’ve had in your life… Please fill out something positive in the form below and leave your email address.  I’m trying to build a bigger audience and working towards sending food articles for interested people.  It will also give me an idea for future blog posts… Bon Appetit from Evan J. wanna be gourmet…