Parmesan Chicken

It looks like chicken.  It smells like chicken.  It tastes like chicken.  Yep, it’s chicken for dinner again tonight.  Do you ever feel like that: how many ways can I cook chicken and try to make it different?  On this blog alone, I have posted recipes for an oven baked chicken parmesan and a chicken parmesan so to differentiate, this is called parmesan chicken.  The real difference is minimal: one is baked, one comes from the freezer, and this one is pan fried.  All are tasty and earn “yum” ratings from the kids.

On this plate, the chicken is served with lemon fusilli pasta.  Or serve it atop an arugula salad.

Ingredients:

Parmesan Chicken

1.      4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2.      1 cup all-purpose flour

3.      1 teaspoon kosher salt

4.      1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5.      2 large eggs

6.      1 tablespoon water

7.      1 1/4 cups dry bread crumbs, plain or seasoned

8.      1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

9.      Unsalted butter

10.  Good olive oil

Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick (with a meat tenderizer (flat side)) or buy thin chicken breasts or butterflied chicken. Thin is key so that the chicken cooks quickly and evenly and it ultimately reaches 170 degrees.

Gather 3 plates, pyrex dishes or pie pans for the coating on the chicken.  In one, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. On the second, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

 

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2-3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, until cooked through.  Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts.