Call it a parma, parmy or parmi, a chicken parmigiana is a pub staple beloved the nation over. What’s not to love? Crumbed, crisp and golden chicken breast loaded with a rich tomato sauce and melted cheese make for one satisfying combination. So, we’ve taken the good ol’ classic chicken parmigiana recipe and given it a bit of an upgrade so that it easily rivals your favourite pub parmy.
In our best chicken parmigiana recipe, there’s the reliable tomato sauce and cheese topping, with fior di latte used for extra creaminess. Plus, we’ve added roast fennel and olive to make this a chicken parmigiana that works just as well for an easy dinner as it does for a simple get-together.
This dish works equally well with thickly sliced eggplant in place of the chicken for a vegetarian parmigiana recipe.
Ingredients
Method
1.Preheat oven to 220ËšC. Place olives, oil, zest and juice with reserved fronds in a small bowl.
2.Combine fennel, garlic and wine on a roasting tray, drizzle with oil and season to taste. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden (15 minutes).
3.Meanwhile, using a mallet, bash chicken to 5mm thick. Combine breadcrumbs, parsley and crushed fennel in a bowl; season to taste. Place flour and eggs in separate bowls. Dust chicken with flour, dip in egg then press into breadcrumbs to coat well.
4.Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add chicken, turning once, until golden and crisp (3-4 minutes).
5.Preheat grill to high heat. Remove fennel from oven and arrange chicken around fennel. Spoon sugo over chicken and top with fior di latte. Place under grill and cook until cheese is golden (5 minutes). Serve scattered with olive mixture, extra fronds and with remaining mixture on the side.
James Moffatt
