Many people have had that dream of exploring Europe, and one of the top countries I hear people wanting to visit is Italy. Travelling to Europe can be very difficult for the average Canadian however. The expenses required to reside in European countries are much higher than one may expect. Take that and add on the travel fees to reach such a destination, not to mention the grueling trip lengthwise. To put into your perspective, a one month stay in some Asian countries may be equivalent to a one week stay in a European one. Not to discourage anyone from going, as there is a multitude of sights to behold in Europe that you can’t see anywhere else! For some of us though, it may be out of reach for the time being so as always, I am providing you with a way of bring Italy’s cuisine and culture to the comfort of your own home.
What’s your favourite thing about Italy? Is it the people, the culture, the architecture, or the cuisine? Have you ever dreamed of going to this country? Well how about you meat me in Italy (pun intended), as I present to you a classic dish, the Chicken Parm! Now I don’t know if you knew this but this dish was not actually named for its use of parmesan cheese. Actually parmesan is scarcely used in this dish, as mozza is the primary cheese product. Chicken parm is actually named after its origin city in Parma, Italy. Well now that you know this fun fact about Chicken parm, I will proceed to the recipe!
Time to make: 45 min
Yields: 4 Chicken Parms
Utensils:
Large pot
Baking sheet
Small bowls
Tongs/chopsticks/something to flip the chicken
Pan
Knife
Cutting board
Pasta strainer
Ingredients:
4 servings of spaghetti noodles or linguine noodles
Water
Olive oil
4 Chicken breasts (if too large you can half 2 chicken breasts)
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2-3 large eggs, beaten
1.5 cups Panko (breadcrumbs)
10 tsp of Italian seasoning OR (2 tsp of basil, 2 tsp of oregano, 2 tsp of rosemary, 2 tsp of thyme, and 2 tsp of marjoram)
2 tsp of Garlic powder
1/2 cup of Mozza cheese, divided into 4 (more or less depending on you)
4 Tbsp of Shaved Parmesan
Fresh Basil leaves
8 Tbsp of Pasta sauce
Directions:
Boil some water, add some salt (“as salty as the sea”), and cook the pasta until al dente (~10-12 min). Drain and add oil so pasta doesn’t stick.
Preheat oven to 350 ̊ F
Lightly season both sides of chicken breast with salt and pepper.
Combine panko, the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, 2 Tbsp of salt, and 2 Tbsp of ground pepper. Mix thoroughly. Place ¼ of the mix into a high rimmed plate.
Dip the chicken breasts into the egg mix and then bread with the ¼ panko mix on both sides, ensuring that the breast is covered completely. Put aside. Scoop another ¼ of the panko mix into the plate and repeat.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken. Do not add before the pan is hot. Once you add the chicken, slightly adjust the heat closer to medium, but still above medium. Once the panko has turned golden brown, flip the chicken and brown the other side. About 3-5 minutes per side. Place on a baking sheet.
Spread 2 Tbsp of pasta sauce onto each chicken breast (may vary depending on how big the cut is). Grab some mozza with your fingertips and sprinkle it on top of the sauce. Finish with 1 Tbsp of shaved parmesan on each breast.
Place the chicken into the oven until the cheese is melted and golden on top. About 5-6 minutes. Take out and check if the chicken breast is cooked by taking the internal temp. Should be 165 ̊ F (75 ̊ C).
Portion out the pasta, add 1 chicken to each plate and shingle some garlic bread.
Roll up similar sized basil leaves into little rolls and slice thinly. You’ll get beautiful long strands to sprinkle over your creation!
Serve hot and enjoy!
Hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think about the recipe and don’t forget to subscribe! Thanks for all of your support!
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