Chicken parmigiana recipe

This is a classic Italian chicken dish where thin fillets are cooked in a Parmesan crust then topped with tomato pasta sauce and cheese and baked until golden and bubbling. It’s usually served with cooked pasta but it equally delicious simply served with a mixed green salad. If you prefer more tomato sauce you can spread a layer of tomato pasta sauce in the bottom of the baking dish before adding the fried fillets or try a layer of lightly cooked baby spinach leaves flavoured with fried onions and garlic and a pinch of nutmeg.

Ingredients

• 2 large skinless chicken breast fillets
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 100g fresh white breadcrumbs
• 75g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Oil for shallow frying pan
• 4tbsp ready-made tomato pasta sauce
• 100g mozzarella cheese, sliced
• Cooked spaghetti, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Fan 170°C/Gas Mark 5. Slice each chicken fillet through the middle to make four thin fillets in total and season each with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the beaten egg on one plate and mix the breadcrumbs and 50g of the Parmesan cheese on a second plate.
2. Dip each chicken fillet in the beaten egg then coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Shallow fry the coated fillets in hot oil for 3 to 4 mins on each side until crisp and golden. Place in a shallow baking dish, spread over the tomato sauce and top with the sliced mozzarella cheese.
3. Sprinkle over the rest of the Parmesan cheese and bake for 15 to 20 mins until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve with spaghetti.