How To Make the World's Finest Chicken Pamigiana

How To Make The Best Chicken Parmigiana

Background

Parmigiana is an Italian dish typically made with veal, chicken, or eggplant (aubergine). The eggplant or meat is lightly fried and topped with cheese and tomato sauce and then baked. In Italy, parmigiana is made with eggplant, however it has been altered by Italian immigrants in the United States and made with the chicken and veal. Parmigiana means “from Parma” however the dish is not a Permian cuisine, it is a Sicilian dish.

Story Behind the Recipe

I was at a wedding in Spokane, Washington last August and my uncle’s mother was there from Sicily, Italy. We are not related because he is my uncle through marriage, however, her Italian personality and my Southern personality clashed and we felt like family immediately. She spoke a very broken English. We sat together in an old lake house on the spectacular Lake Coeur d'Alene (Idaho). Naturally, we began talking about food, specifically Italian food. I had only been into cooking for about two years and Italian was already my favorite type of food to make. I had been practicing on perfecting my tomato sauce so I asked Marta how she made hers. Surprisingly, I was making it almost exactly like true Italians. She told me to incorporate the garlic by sautéing the whole clove and then throwing it out in the end rather than cutting it up. Other than that, I was making it exactly as she did. I asked her, “Marta, what is your favorite dish to use tomato sauce with?” She replied by telling me either with pasta and mozzarella or Parmigiana. I decided to combine them both by making a chicken parmigiana with an angel hair pasta base covered in mozzarella cheese. Great Aunt Marta told me that I had done an excellent job that was good by even Italian standards and so the recipe had finally been completed.

Common Myth About the Origin of the Name

Many people believe that the name, Parmigiana (Parmesan) is given to the dish because it has Parmigiano-Reggiano (parmesan cheese). However this is most certainly not where the name is derived. “Parmigiana” originated from the Sicilian word “parmiciana”. “Parmiciana” is a word to describe the slats of wood on shutters, similar to the pattern in which eggplant is layered in the dish.

Why Parmigiana?

Of the hundreds of chicken dishes out there, why make chicken parmigiana? Chicken parmigiana is a hearty yet healthy dish with an abundance of flavor. The combination of tomatoes and basil create an eloquent flavor combination that can only be found in Italian dishes. The sautéed garlic and onions give it a special kick that will send taste buds in frenzy. The aroma of the garlic, onions, and basil sautéing on the stove will make even a full man salivate. The dish is filled with protein from the nice selection of chicken. Chicken breast, according to EverydayHealth.com, is one of the top ten most filling foods because of its ample amount of protein. However, the best part of the dish is the extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acid, which is the best type of fat for your body, according to the Mayo Clinic. You actually need monounsaturated fatty acids because they help lower your risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol. A study by the British Medical Journal found that olive oil could increase one’s life span because of this fatty acid. This is why the life expectancy in the Mediterranean region is higher than any other region in the world, with five of the top 17 countries (in terms of life expectancy) in the world.

How Do I Cook It?

Total Time: 60 minutes

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 40 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Olive oil

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 cups Italian breadcrumbs

3 eggs

1 tablespoon water

2 cups flour

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

2 cups Mozzarella cheese

1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

6 cups tomato sauce

1 pound whole-wheat angel hair pasta (cooked)

Pre-heat oven to 400 F. Pound out chicken breasts to one-inch thickness. Coat a sauté pan with olive oil and heat at medium-high heat. Create egg wash with the eggs and water. Coat the chicken in flour, dip in egg wash, and then generously coat with breadcrumbs. Place chicken breasts in sauté pan. Sauté the chicken for 3 minutes on each side until it is golden on each side. Place the cooked angel hair in the base of a baking dish. Top with the chicken breasts and cover with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until bubbly and cheese is golden brown. Top with Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

Tomato Sauce:

Total Time: 100 minutes

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 95 minutes

Yield: 6 cups

30 Roma tomatoes, halved and seeded

1 cup diced onion

5 garlic cloves

3 tablespoons fresh basil

¾ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh oregano

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

Heat ¼ cup of the olive oil on a skillet. When hot, add onions, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of the fresh basil (leave garlic on top so it does not burn). Let sauté until golden (2-3 minutes). Crush tomatoes in large mixing bowl until desired chunkiness. Add remaining ½ cup of olive oil, remaining ¼ tablespoon of fresh basil, 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, and 1 ½ teaspoons sugar to crushed tomatoes. Mix and combine with onions, garlic, and basil in a large pot on medium-high heat until bubbling. Once bubbling, bring to a simmer for 90 minutes. Add sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.

Works Cited

Hensrud, Donald. "If Olive Oil Is High in Fat, Why Is It Considered Healthy?" Mayo

Clinic. 26 Mar. 2011. Web. 22 Apr. 2012.

Mikle, James. "Olive Oil and Sun Leads to Longer Life." The Guardian. 7 Apr. 2005.

Web. 22 Apr. 2012.

Van, Madeline. "Satisfy Your Appetite With These Delicious Choices." Ed. Lindsey

Marcellin. EverydayHealth.com. 13 June 2011. Web. 22 Apr. 2012.

The World Factbook 2009. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency,

2009.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html