(Photo by Carlos Sarmiento)
Whether it is game day, family day or any day...chicken parm is a totally feel-good dish. It might be somewhat elaborate to make, but trust me, with fresh ingredients and a homemade sauce, you'll be glad you made this.
To maximize the use of freshly made pomodoro (tomato) sauce, I am accompanying the chicken dish with some spaghetti. Hungry yet?
Let‘s get cooking!
Menu: Carlos' chicken parmigiana with spaghetti pomodoro.
Wine pairing: 2019 7 Cellars - The Farm Collection Pinot Noir
(Monterey County, California)
Serves 4
Ingredients
Chicken:
2 large boneless chicken breasts (approximately 1 pound each)
2 large eggs
1 cup of breadcrumbs
1 cup of all purpose flour
Sea Salt & cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon of ground oregano
1/4 cup of grated Grana Padano & 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, blended
1/4 pound of thinly sliced provolone cheese
1 pound of fresh buffalo mozzarella, cut into 1/8 inch slices
1/4 cup of freshly chopped basil (for final garnish)
1/2 cup of olive oil for frying (or more if needed)
Sauce:
2 large fresh tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can of San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
4 tablespoons of Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil https://www.bestsicily.com/partanna-extra-virgin-olive-oil-1l-34-fl-oz/
1 small peeled and finely minced yellow onion
3 finely minced garlic cloves
12-16 fresh basil leaves (save 12 for plate garnish, 3 leaves per plate)
sea salt and pepper to taste
Pasta:
1/2 box of Barilla Collezione spaghetti
Directions
*Make the sauce first because it will be used for both the chicken and the pasta!
Sauce:
Add the fresh tomatoes and San Marzano tomatoes to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Add the olive oil to a large pot at low heat. Add in garlic and onion and cook until translucent, approximately 10 minutes.
Pour in the pureed tomatoes and simmer over low to medium heat for at least 30 minutes. Tip: the longer you simmer it, the better it will taste.
Finish by stirring in basil, salt and pepper (to taste).
Chicken:
Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F.
Place chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Cut chicken so that you have 4 pieces. Season chicken thoroughly with salt and pepper.
Beat eggs in a shallow bowl and set aside.
Mix bread crumbs and 1/4 cup of the Grada Padano/Parmesan cheese blend in a separate bowl, set aside.
Mix all purpose flour with oregano and red chili flakes in a wide and large bowl, set aside.
Dip a flour-coated chicken breast in beaten eggs. Transfer breast to the bread crumb mixture, pressing crumbs into both sides. Repeat for each breast. Let chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Heat 1/2 inch olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Cook chicken until golden, about 2 minutes per side (the chicken will finish cooking in the oven).
Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Top each breast with tomato sauce (leaving about 1/2 inch border without sauce). Layer each chicken breast with equal amounts of provolone slices, mozzarella cheese, and Grana Padano-Parmesan mix.
Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is slightly browned and bubbly and chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F).
Pasta:
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions.
Drain spaghetti and toss a good portion of the sauce with pasta. Pasta should be nicely coated with the sauce.
Serve it up!
You can serve this delicious meal either family style by putting spaghetti in a large serving bowl, dusted with extra cheese on top and a large flat platter to place the chicken pieces and topped with freshly chopped basil.
For individual servings, place chicken pieces in the middle of a plate and place a generous serving of spaghetti nicely nestled next to the chicken. Top chicken with fresh basil and top spaghetti with some extra cheese.
*For presentation purposes, I opted to add a little extra (warm) sauce on top of the chicken when serving with some extra grated cheese and fresh basil.
Buon appetito!
(Photo by Carlos Sarmiento)
(Photo by Carlos Sarmiento)
(Photo by Carlos Sarmiento)
About the wine…
The 'Farm Collection' pays homage to a place where many of my life’s early friendships and fondest memories took place… Stanford University, aka, The Farm. We hope you’ll create new memories around our Farm as I did around mine." – John Elway, Proprietor
2019 7 Cellars - The Farm Collection Pinot Noir (Monterey County, California)
(Photo by Carlos Sarmiento)
Tasting notes:
This medium-bodied Pinot Noir is elegant and refined. On the palate there are notes of bright cherry, ripe plum, cola, and dried herbs, with a touch of vanilla and toasted oak on the finish.
Grapes:
94% Pinot Noir
6% Syrah
Food pairing: Grilled salmon, Bolognese, roasted chicken, mushroom risotto, meatloaf, baked ham or lasagna.
Thank you to Jeff Sperbeck for this partnership and to the 7 Cellars team for providing this unique wine.
For more information, visit:
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(Photo by John Ruddock)