Eric Stendal

I remember coming across this video of Gordon Ramsay making this Chicken Parmesan dish….I was hooked. I’ve always enjoyed ordering this dish when out at restaurants, and thought that I would like to give it a go at home.

I’ve made this exact dish a number of times, and each time has been a home run hit with family and guests (even a guest from Ireland!!)

Have a watch through the video if you have time, and I’ve included the necessary ingredients and method below the video for you (and for my reference later).

Ingredients

For the Chicken

2 large eggs
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
3 large chicken breasts halved horizontally to make six fillets
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (Italian or golden)
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic or onion powder
1/2 cup olive oil for frying

For the Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
14 oz (400 g) tomato puree
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp sugar (optional)

For the Topping

8 oz (250 g) mozzarella cheese sliced
1/3 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh chopped basil

Method

1. Warm the oven up to 430°F (220°C). Lightly brush some olive oil on an oven tray or baking dish and set it aside.
2. Prepare your chicken fillets as per the video; cut a chicken breast with the tender removed horizontally. Place the chicken between two pieces of parchment paper; flatten and smooth out further using rolling pin.
3. Put eggs, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish and mix them together with a whisk.
4. Prepare the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and garlic powder in a separate shallow bowl. 
5. Once the chicken is ready to cook, dip your chicken into the egg wash making sure that each fillet gets an even coat of the egg mixture.
6. Next, add your chicken fillets to the bread crumb bowl. Spread the breadcrumb mixture out over the chicken. (Gordon then reverses his parchment paper and places the breaded chicken fillets in between using a rolling pin to further push in the breadcrumbs).
7. Warm the oil in a big pan over medium to high heat until it shimmers and gets hot. Fry the chicken until it’s golden and crispy, two and one half minutes per side. Remember to add some butter around the edges of the chicken to brown it up a bit more.
8. Place your chicken fillets on the prepared baking tray. Then, add about 1/3 cup of sauce to each breast (recipe for sauce below). Place two to three mozzarella cheese slices on top of each chicken breast. Season with salt and pepper. 
9. Put it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese melts and bubbles and the chicken is fully cooked.

For the Sauce

1. In a medium-sized pot, heat the oil. After adding the garlic, fry for about 30 seconds or until it smells good. The onion should be clear after about 3 minutes.
2. You can add sugar, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper to taste along with the tomato sauce. 
3. Put the lid on top and let it boil for eight minutes, or until the sauce gets a little thicker. Check the taste, and if necessary, add more salt and pepper.

**If you do not wish to make your own marinara sauce, you can purchase a good quality store version of your choice. I go for good Italian sauces in glass jars. This takes a little bit of the work away from a very messy kitchen dish!

For the Pasta

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add up to 1 tbsp rock salt.
2. Add spaghetti and then cook for 2-3 minutes and cover it with a lid before it boils.
3. Continue to let it simmer until it reaches Al Dente (read the side of the package to know the recommended cooking time of your chosen pasta) then strain the water out.
4. I add the strained spaghetti to a different bowl and add 2 or 3 tbsps of the marinara sauce to the pasta, with a hint of olive oil or reserved water used for boiling the pasta.

Plating

1. If you’re making the rabe to serve with this dish, you can check out the internet for the recipe and method for doing so. I found this.
2. On your plate, place some rabe down and beside this add about 2 tbsp of marinara sauce.
3. Then, place a chicken fillet on top of the sauce and rabe. Sprinkle lightly with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
4. Add your spaghetti on the side of the plate. Gordon used a long fork and made a barrel roll of pasta. Then, he drizzed more marinara sauce on this.

Voila! You’re done. Be sure to enjoy this dish with some fine Italian wine and maybe some crusty bread. I’d love to hear how this turns out for you if you decide to make it.