Make Chicken Parmigiana at Home: This Classic Italian Dish is a Snap to Make!

Until a few years ago, the extent of my Italian cooking abilities was spaghetti. I knew how to cook and was quite good at a short list of recipes, but Italian food was something I hadn't picked up. That all changed when I started dating an italian girl that loved cooking for me- and boy did she know how to cook. The relationship didn't last, but I still use some of the things I picked up watching her in the kitchen.

Chicken Parm is very easy to make. You simply need some boneless chicken breasts, a can of seasoned bread crumbs, a tub of grated parmesan or romano cheese, a few eggs, some vegetable oil, some pasta and a jar of sauce. That's not too scary right?

Start boiling your favorite pasta, it should be ready by the time we finish everything else. Next, fill the bottom of a skillet with vegetable oil and putting on medium-high heat. Next, crack 3 eggs into a boil and beat them. In another large bowl or pyrex dish, mix about a cup each of bread crumbs and grated cheese. Your prep is almost done, and we're nearly to the fun part!

You have a couple options when it comes to chicken breasts. Perdue makes thin cute chicken breasts, but not every store carries them. If you can find them, they're the easy way to go. If not, it's time to pound on some chicken! Just take a regular boneless chicken breast and cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap. Grab a meat tenderizing mallet, a rolling pin or even a wine bottle and gently pound the breasts until it's nice and flat.

Now that we have our chicken ready, its a quick three step process to start cooking. Grab a breast and dunk it in the eggs, making sure to cover both sides. Next, move your egg soaked chicken to the dish of bread crumbs and flop it in on one side, then turn it over. Make sure the whole breasts is now covered in the bread crumb mixture. Finally, gently lay the breast into the pan of hot oil.

After a couple of minutes, carefully turn the breast over with some tongs. The cooked side should be a nice golden brown, and another minute or two and the other side should be cooked. When it's time to come out, move the breast onto a plate covered in paper towels, or a baker's drying rack if you have one, as this allows the excess oil to drain off.

That's it! You can plate the chicken as is, or you can top with a slice of provolone or mozzarella. Add your favorite pasta and sauce and enjoy. Buon appetito!