Chicken Parmesan

Method

1. Set up the breading station. Flour in dish 1, beaten eggs in dish 2, panko mixed with Parmesan in dish 3.

2. Bread the chicken. Season cutlets with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour (shake off excess), dip in egg (let excess drip off), press into panko mixture (press firmly on both sides).

3. Fry the cutlets. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (350°F). Fry for 3 minutes per side until golden and crispy. The chicken should be cooked through. Drain on a wire rack.

4. Assemble. Place fried cutlets on a baking sheet. Spoon marinara over each (don't drown them — leave the edges exposed for crunch). Top with mozzarella slices.

5. Bake at 425°F for 8–10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Broil for 1 minute if you want browned spots on the cheese.

6. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve over spaghetti or with a simple salad and crusty bread.

Equipment

• Large skillet (for frying) Recommended: Joyce Chen 14-Inch Carbon Steel Wok
• Baking sheet Recommended: Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Half Sheet Pan
• Meat mallet or heavy pan Recommended: OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer
• Three shallow dishes (for breading station) Recommended: Stainless Steel Breading Trays Set of 3

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: Pound the chicken to an even 1/2-inch thickness. This ensures the breading cooks at the same rate as the chicken. Thick, uneven cutlets have raw centers by the time the breading is golden, or overcooked edges by the time the center is done.
• The three-step breading process (flour → egg → breadcrumbs) must be done in order. Flour dries the surface so the egg sticks. Egg acts as glue for the breadcrumbs. Skipping the flour means the egg slides off; skipping the egg means the breadcrumbs fall off.
• Mix Parmesan into the breadcrumbs. The cheese adds flavor and browns beautifully. Use panko for extra crunch — regular breadcrumbs make a denser, softer coating.
• Fry the cutlets first, then bake with sauce and cheese. Don't put raw breaded chicken directly in sauce — the breading gets soggy and never crisps. The frying sets the crust; the oven melts the cheese.
• Use fresh mozzarella, not the low-moisture block. Fresh mozzarella melts into creamy pools. Low-moisture mozzarella turns rubbery.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Chicken breast	Eggplant slices (eggplant parm)	Salt and drain eggplant first
Panko	Regular breadcrumbs	Less crunchy
Fresh mozzarella	Low-moisture mozzarella	More stretchy, less creamy
Frying	Baking (400°F, 20 min)	Less crispy but lighter
Marinara	Vodka sauce	Richer, creamier

What You're Practicing

Chicken parmesan teaches you the three-step breading technique — flour, egg, breadcrumbs — the foundation of all fried cutlets: schnitzel, tonkatsu, milanesa, and katsu. Understanding why each layer exists (drying, adhesion, crunch) means you can bread anything. Visit Techniques for more on breading.

You're also learning the fry-then-bake method — setting a crispy crust through frying, then finishing with sauce and cheese in the oven. This two-stage approach keeps the breading crunchy under the sauce. Explore more at Techniques.