Jenns Chicken Parmesan Recipes

CHICKEN PARMESAN

Steps:

• Using kitchen shears, trim off any white tendons at the ends of the tenderloins. Using the palm of your hand, gently flatten the tenderloins so that they are an even ¼-inch thickness. Season the chicken all over with 1¼ teaspoons of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper.
• In a large shallow bowl, combine the panko, ¾ cup of the Parmigiano Reggiano, the oregano, the thyme, the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mix well, making sure there are no clumps of cheese.
• Place the flour in another shallow bowl. Beat the eggs in a third bowl. Set up a breading station in this order: flour, eggs, panko. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean up. Dredge the chicken in the flour, coating evenly; dip in the eggs, letting any excess drip off; then dredge in the panko mixture, turning and patting to adhere. Place the breaded chicken on the prepared baking sheet. (The recipe can be prepared up to this point, covered, and refrigerated up to 8 hours ahead of time.)
• Preheat the broiler and set an oven rack about 4 inches from the heating element. Bring the marinara sauce to a simmer over low heat. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking (with store-bought sauce, I find a generous pinch of sugar and fresh basil go a long way). Cover and keep warm.
• Line another baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment for easy clean up; set aside. In a large nonstick skillet, heat about ⅛ inch of oil over medium heat until shimmering. Place 5 or 6 tenders in the pan in a single layer and cook until the first side is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Place the cooked chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Cook the remaining chicken in the same manner, adding additional oil only if necessary. You may need to lower the the heat as you go, so that the chicken doesn't brown before it is cooked through.
• Sprinkle the fontina and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano over the center of the chicken tenderloins, leaving the sides bare so that they remain crispy. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a serving platter or individual plates. Spoon the marinara sauce over the cheese, again leaving the sides bare so that they stay crispy. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve.
• Make-Ahead Instructions: The chicken tenders can be breaded and refrigerated up to 8 hours before pan-frying. The chicken is best and crispiest when fried right before baking, but it can also be fried up to 4 hours in advance and refrigerated. Reheat the chicken in a 350°F oven until warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes, before adding the cheese and proceeding with the recipe.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The breaded chicken tenders can be frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze the chicken on the baking sheet until firm, about 1 hour, then transfer to a resealable freezer bag or layer in an airtight container with sheets of parchment between the tenders. Defrost in the refrigerator before cooking.

JENN'S CHICKEN PARMESAN

Steps:

• Set a big pot of water to boil for the pasta. Cook as directed.
• Put each chicken breast, one at a time, into a gallon-size zippie bag. Use a kitchen mallet or a heavy skillet to pound the chicken to about 1/2 inch thick. This is a great step for getting out frustrations.
• In a large bowl, beat together the egg and the water.
• Now, you want to have a station set up for this next part. A plate with flour, a plate with the egg and a plate with the breadcrumbs. With each chicken breast you need to coat each breast in this order: flour, egg wash then breadcrumbs.
• After each breast has been properly coated, set them on a plate to the side.
• In a medium skillet, saute diced onion in 1 Tbs olive oil until they turn opaque, about 4-5 minutes, then add the red pepper flake and the mushrooms and saute and additional 6-8 minutes. Then add the grape tomatoes to the skillet. Let them saute for a few minutes until they soften, then using your wooden spoon, crush each tomato. If it's too hard to crush, let it cook just a bit longer.
• Add salt and pepper to taste, and continue cooking until tomatoes are very soft and mixed with the rest of the veggies. Right at the end, add half of the chopped basil.
• You should be cooking the chicken at the same time that you are cooking the sauce. When you are waiting on the onions and/or mushrooms to cook, this is a good time to get the chicken going.
• Preheat 1 TBS olive oil in another large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Also, preheat your broiler.
• Cook the chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes then flip and cook 3-4 additional minutes.
• After each breast is cooked in the skillet, place them on a baking sheet and top with some of the sauce, then top with a mixture of both cheeses. Place under the preheated broiler until cheese is melted and golden bubbly.
• While this is working, toss the cooked pasta with the remaining tomato mushroom sauce.
• Plate some pasta and a chicken breast on each plate and top with remaining freshly chopped basil.