But really, who doesn't love this Italian American classic?
So, this might be interesting to think about: chicken parmesan isn't necessarily Italian. It's specifically Italian American.
Because in Italy, there was a chicken cutlet without sauce, and there was another dish we know well: eggplant parmesan. But the Italian diaspora in America, suddenly finding themselves able to afford a little more than what they were able to back in Italy, ended up using more of these precious ingredients more often: especially things like meat and sugar. So when you combine a chicken cutlet with eggplant parm, of course you get this lovely dish we have here!
I'll be honest: when it comes to Italian American food, it's the style of food I'd rather make at home than go out to eat. At home, those spices blend just the way you like in the sauce, and you know you're going to get exactly as much pasta to sauce ratio as you want. And of course, at home, you can also infuse a little bit of magic into your food as you cook.
This time, we're doing something a little different, though: we're not looking at the herbs (as you can actually find the magic in this sauce in my Meat Sauce Spaghetti recipe), but rather at the animal products used here: the egg, the mozzarella, and the chicken itself.
Magic in Chicken Parmesan
With these three ingredients, egg, chicken, and mozzarella, you've got an energy that I think suits something as classic and well loved as chicken parmesan well: a feeling of luck, harmony, protection, rebirth, and happiness. Bring the family together for a sit down meal with a dish like this, all thanks to the energies at play in these three animal products!
It's Jupiter (chicken), Pluto (egg), and Saturn (cheese) out to play here, along with elements of fire, water, and earth respectively, that bring in the growing power you're looking for. With Saturn, a planet of responsibility and structure, meeting the Jupiter, the planet of luck and grace, and Pluto, the planet of death and rebirth, this meal can help you bring your family back together to raise their spirits, protect them, and of course, help them wash off the old and welcome in the new. It's a meal that's hearty, filling, delicious, and powerful in its ability to comfort and help one spring back into action.
Chicken Parmesan
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes 3-4 Servings
Ingredients:
FOR CHICKEN | ​ |
2 Lbs | Chicken Breast, sliced/beat thin |
1 Cup | Panko Bread Crumbs |
1/2 Cup | Normal Bread Crumbs |
3 Cloves | Garlic, minced |
To Taste | Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Sage, Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder |
3 Full Size Pieces | Fresh Mozzarella |
2 Large | Eggs, beaten |
FOR SAUCE | |
1 Large | Onion, diced |
3 Cloves | Garlic, minced |
1 9oz Can | Tomato Paste |
1 28oz Can | Crushed Tomato |
​2 Large | Bell Peppers, cut fine |
1 tsp | Sugar |
3 Large | Bay Leaves |
To Taste | Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Sage, Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Optional Italian Seasoning |
FOR GARNISH | ​ |
1 Tbsp | Fresh Chopped Parsley |
Directions:
Fry onions in a pot, then add 3 cloves of garlic and fry until fragrant.
Add tomato paste & crushed tomato, then seasonings. Combine & let simmer on low.
Combine bread crumbs with seasonings in one bowl, then beat 2 eggs in another.
Set oven to 425 F.
Dredge chicken in egg, then bread crumbs, then lay on a baking sheet prepped with parchment paper
Bake for 5-7 minutes, then flip, add your simmered sauce, & bake another 5-7.
Slice mozzarella. When chicken done, put cheese on top (& extra parmesan) and broil until bubbly and browned.
Cook pasta per package & serve with remaining sauce & chicken
I sometimes get the hankering for a meal like this, and whether you make it with chicken or eggplant, it's bound to be delicious! Filling, too, and makes plenty of leftovers. Give it a try!
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