Chicken Parmigiana (or Chicken Parmesan) – the great pub favourite has finally landed! Pollo alla parmigiana in Italian, but affectionately referred by Aussies as Parma, Parmi or “a schnitty with tomato sauce and cheese”, you’ll love this homemade recipe with extra crispy schnitzel, best ever parmigiana sauce and juicy marinated chicken.
Aussies love good pub grub. But too often, the standard pub Parmi comes with soggy bread crumbs, dry chicken, bad tomato sauce, and cheese that melts in your mouth.
In one of the most popular Italian-American dishes, Chicken Parmesan, breaded chicken cutlets are covered in tomato sauce and melted cheese. While marinating the chicken isn’t required by traditional recipes, it can make this dish taste even better. So, should you marinate the chicken for Chicken Parmesan? Let’s settle this once and for all.
The Case for Marinating Chicken Parmesan
Marinating the chicken provides some clear benefits
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Prevents dryness: Chicken breast in particular can easily dry out during cooking. A marinade imparts moisture, ensuring tender and juicy chicken even after frying or baking.
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Adds flavor: Marinating lets the spices and smells get inside the chicken directly. This adds another level of flavor that goes well with the cheese and sauce.
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Tenderizes: Acidic ingredients in the marinade gently break down chicken proteins, making it more tender.
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Improves the whole dish: marinated chicken turns a good dish into an amazing one. The extra flavor dimension gives it a special something.
So marinating clearly has some advantages. But it’s not quite a universal yes for Chicken Parmesan.
Choosing the Right Marinade
For the marinade to work for Chicken Parmesan, it needs to match the flavor profile of the dish. The wrong marinade can overpower or clash rather than complement.
These ingredients make excellent marinade choices:
- Italian herbs like oregano, basil, parsley
- Garlic
- Lemon juice or vinegar for acidity
- Olive oil as the fat
- Salt and pepper
Ingredients to avoid include soy sauce, hot chilies, and overly sweet elements. The marinade should support the Italian essence, not detract from it.
Marinating Best Practices
Marinating properly ensures safety and ideal flavor infusion:
- Marinate for 2-4 hours at minimum, 8 hours maximum.
- Use nonreactive containers like glass or plastic.
- Always marinate in the fridge.
- Pat chicken dry before breading so the coating sticks.
- Never reuse raw marinade. Boil it if you want to repurpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about marinating chicken for Chicken Parmesan:
Can I marinate frozen chicken?
Yes, marinating while frozen helps thaw and infuse flavor simultaneously. Adjust timing as needed.
What if I’m short on time?
Even 15-30 minutes makes a difference. For pressed timelines, rub some marinade into the chicken along with the breadcrumbs.
Does marinade affect the breading?
Yes, if chicken is wet, breading won’t adhere properly. Pat it very dry post-marinade before breading.
Can I reuse leftover marinade?
Never reuse raw marinade due to bacteria risks. Boil it thoroughly first if repurposing as a sauce.
Can I use Italian dressing as the marinade?
You can, but check the ingredients first. Opt for a simple oil and vinegar based one over thick creamy dressings.
How does marinating impact cooking time?
It doesn’t significantly affect cooking time. Use a meat thermometer for doneness.
What if I over-marinate?
Over-marinating can lead to mushy chicken. Stick to the recommended timeline and avoid highly acidic marinades.
Can I use a dry rub instead?
Yes, a dry rub adds flavor, but it won’t tenderize or add moisture like a wet marinade.
Conclusion
Marinating chicken for Chicken Parmesan takes the dish to the next level by providing moisture, tenderness, and built-in flavor. Use an Italian-inspired marinade and proper techniques for best results. With perfectly marinated chicken, you’ll never go back to the plain breaded version again. This simple step elevates Chicken Parmesan into the upper echelon of Italian food glory.
How to make Chicken Parmigiana Sauce
Nothing ground breaking in the method, but it’s worth noting that the sauce is a thick saucy consistency, not a stodgy dry dolloping consistency (which kind of defeats the purpose of having delicious tomato sauce smothered on our Parmi!).
This is what the sauce should look like:
Referred to as breading in the US – and given it’s called bread crumbs, I feel like both “crumbing” AND “breading” make sense!.
Here’s what you need for the crumbing. It’s a classic schnitzel…but with extra flavour from the parmesan, herbs and garlic!.
- Flour – for dusting. This first, then the egg, which makes a strong glue for the breadcrumbs.
- Onion and dried herbs from Italy to add to the egg for a more subtle flavor Layers upon layers of flavour, all throughout this parmi!.
- You can make your schnitzel crispier with Panko breadcrumbs, which are bigger than regular breadcrumbs. You can find it next to regular breadcrumbs or in the Asian aisle (hint: lower prices there!).
- When I grate my own parmesan, the grains are too small for my taste, so I like to use the sand-like store-bought kind. Parmesan in crumbing is a traditional Italian method for schnitzels. And it makes the schnitzel more golden and crisp. It also gives it a great extra flavor. When parmesan is cooked, it is very crispy!.
Amount of oil to use
You don’t need to deep fry chicken parmigiana. It’s fine to shallow fry the chicken. It doesn’t matter if it gets brown spots from touching the pan or skillet bottom; the sauce will cover them up.
You just need enough oil to get the breadcrumbs super crispy – you can get away with using as little as 1. 5cm / 1/2″ of oil though 2cm / 3/4″ is ideal.