Chicken Parmesan with Chicken Thighs
Classic chicken parmesan made with panko breadcrumbs and fresh tomato and mozzarella
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken thighs
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3/4 cup grape seed oil
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 8-10 oz fresh buffalo mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- On a plastic wrap covered cutting board, place chicken thigh one at time and butterfly, then pound into a very thin fillet. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
- In a baking dish whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
- In another baking dish combine breadcrumbs, cheese, onion powder, rosemary, and paprika.
- One at a time, dip a piece of chicken in the egg and then cover and press with the breadcrumb mixture. Transfer to a plate to prepare for frying.
- In a large sauté pan, heat up oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 4-5 minutes on a side or until golden brown and transfer to a greased baking sheet.
- Top each piece of chicken with a generous spoonful of marinara sauce and 2-3 slices of fresh mozzarella.
- Cook for 5-10 minutes until cheese is slightly golden and melted.
Notes
- Butterfly and pound the chicken a day before making the recipe. It helps things go quicker and takes a lot of the pressure off (and eliminates some dishes) if you’re making it for a special occasion. You can even bread the chicken a few hours early and leave it in the fridge. The breadcrumbs of course take on moisture and seem soggy, but they regain all of their crunch during the frying process.
- Season your chicken with salt and pepper before you bread it. Although we season the flour, it’s important to layer flavor at every opportunity.
- Use your favorite marinara recipe, or jarred marinara. It’s up to you and what your palate likes the best! No need to prep a fancy sauce hours before.
- When broiling the chicken, the edges may catch and begin to burn before the cheese fully melts. So, it helps to use a little shredded mozzarella or fresh parmesan to cover as much of the chicken as possible. And keep a close eye on the broiler!
- Some of the tomato sauce will caramelize and thicken under the broiler, so if you like it extra tomato-y, feel free to spoon some warm tomato sauce on top after you finish to supplement for the sauce lost.
- Fresh basil is really helpful in taking the flavor to the next level - if you want to go the extra mile, make a basil oil by blending basil with olive oil and running it through a fine cheese cloth. Get yourself a squeeze bottle and suddenly it’s Michelin star level!