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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
30 minutes
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Serves
1
Author Notes
My take on parmigiana hits all the familiar notes of the Italian-American classic, but with a couple twists and turns: Fresh tomatoes make for a bright, savory base for a shatteringly crisp, panko-crusted chicken cutlet. As someone who grew up on those “Italian-style” bread crumbs from the can, I reach for a couple powerhouse pantry staples to sprinkle into my panko: garlic powder and dried oregano (the latter of which makes everything taste like pizza to me). And just to drive the “parmigiana” point home, a fat sprinkling of Parmesan cheese goes into this breading, as well, lending great flavor and frico-like texture to the chicken.
As for the blanket of mozzarella on top, usually recipes will ask that you turn on your broiler to melt the cheese, but all I do, lazily, is lay over a couple slices and cover the pan with a lid. The fresh, milky cheese will melt in the residual heat, offering that signature mild counterpoint to the sour-sweet tomato sauce and salty, savory cutlet. No oven. No extra baking dish. Speaking of which, the key to this recipe lies, for me, in the plating. Inspired by Gordon Ramsay and Chef John of Food Wishes, I like to lay the sauce down on the plate first, then top it with the crispy cutlet. I find that this eats better and stays crunchier than the more traditional layering of chicken, sauce, then cheese (which just becomes soggy after a while).
This chicken Parmesan feeds one hungry soul, though you could certainly double or triple the recipe to feed more mouths. Most importantly, I can say this, without an ounce of hesitation: In my two years of writing my column, Table for One, this is my favorite recipe I’ve ever developed for it.
Featured in: A Single-Serving Chicken Parmesan, Because You Deserve a Proper Dinner. —Eric Kim
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Ingredients
- For the sauce:
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2
medium vine-ripened tomatoes (about 8 ounces), roughly chopped
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1
small yellow onion (about 4 ounces), roughly chopped
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3 tablespoons
unsalted butter
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1/2 teaspoon
dried oregano
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1/4 teaspoon
granulated sugar
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the chicken:
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1
5- to 6-ounce chicken breast
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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2 tablespoons
mayonnaise
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1 tablespoon
Dijon mustard
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1/2 cup
panko bread crumbs
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1/2 teaspoon
garlic powder
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1/2 teaspoon
dried oregano
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1/2 cup
finely grated Parmesan, divided
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2 tablespoons
olive oil
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1/4 pound
fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
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Fresh oregano or torn basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Directions
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In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the tomatoes, onion, butter, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and continue cooking for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced slightly. Transfer sauce to a liquid measuring cup (or just something narrower than the saucepan) and puree with a stick blender until smooth, or you could also blitz it in a food processor. Cover to keep warm and set aside.
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Meanwhile, place the chicken breast between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap, or in a large resealable plastic bag, and bash with a rolling pin until uniformly thin. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
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Set up your breading station: On a large plate, stir together the mayonnaise and mustard. On another large plate, stir together the panko, garlic powder, oregano, 1/4 cup of Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Transfer chicken to the first plate and smother with the mayo-mustard mixture, making sure it’s completely covered on both sides. Then, transfer chicken to the second plate and press down, flipping and pressing down multiple times to ensure even panko stickage on both sides. Place breaded chicken in the fridge, uncovered on this second plate, to rest; or if you're ready to eat, go straight to the next step.
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In a large skillet, heat olive oil until very hot and shimmering. Add the chicken and fry for 2 minutes on the first side, and 1 to 2 minutes on the second side, or until cooked through. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan and lay over the slices of fresh mozzarella. Turn off the heat and cover the skillet with a lid until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes.
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To serve, first lay the sauce down, covering the entire plate. Then, place the fried chicken cutlet over the sauce and garnish with fresh oregano or basil. More often than not, I like to eat this just as is, maybe with a hunk of bread to sop up the sauce. But you could also serve it with a simple green salad or, if you're really hungry, with some buttered pasta.
Eric Kim was the Table for One columnist at Food52. He is currently working on his first cookbook, KOREAN AMERICAN, to be published by Clarkson Potter in 2022. His favorite writers are William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, and Ernest Hemingway, but his hero is Nigella Lawson. You can find his bylines at The New York Times, where he works now as a writer. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @ericjoonho.
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