The ultimate chicken parma
A pub-food classic made at home. It’s easy to make and tastes absolutely awesome! Tender chicken schnitzel smothered with a flavoursome tomato sauce, fresh basil and then topped with melted cheese. Yummo!
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Prep Time
30 Minutes -
Cook Time
20 Minutes -
Serves
4 People
Ingredients
for the chicken
- 4 small chicken breasts, skin removed
- 2 cups white breadcrumbs (panko style are best)
- 1 cup plain flour
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- sunflower oil or rice bran oil for shallow frying
for the tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 400 g can crushed tomatoes
- 1 medium brown onion
- 1 medium clove garlic crushed
- ½ cup loosely packed torn basil leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
for the topping
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- ½ cup Parmesan, grated
- flat leaved parsley or basil leaves to garnish
You'll Need
- Multix Bake
- Multix Cling
Method
- For the sauce: Heat a saucepan over a medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion and cook gently until softened and just changing colour. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add tomatoes, and bay leaf. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes to combine flavours. Throw in basil leaves and season to taste. Set on one side.
- Heat oven to 200°C.
- Line two baking trays with Multix Bake then set aside. Set up a production line with three dinner plates, one with plain flour seasoned with salt and pepper, one with egg and water and a final plate with breadcrumbs.
- Butterfly each chicken breast by cutting it almost totally through length wise and opening it up. Place each butterflied chicken breast between two sheets of cling film and gently pound flat until they are of even thickness all over (about 4-5mL). Coat both sides of each chicken breast lightly in the flour and shake off excess. Dip the floured breasts into egg wash, then in breadcrumbs pressing both sides firmly to make sure they are well coated. Place a large frying pan over medium heat. Add enough oil to shallow fry (about 1cm deep in the pan) and heat until just starting to sizzle when you drop a few breadcrumbs in it. Add chicken breasts and cook for about 3 minutes on each side until golden. You may need to cook in batches. Remove chicken when its just cooked through and drain on absorbent paper towels. Place the Parmas’ on the lined oven trays. Top each Parma’ with a spoonful of basil tomato sauce. Add a few basil leaves. Combine the mozzarella and Parmesan and spread evenly over the top of the tomato mixture and bake the Parmas’ in a hot oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately with a crisp green salad.
Tip. For a even more lush Parma’ add a slice of smoked ham between the tomato and cheese layers.