Chicken Parmigiana

Chicken parmigiana — a breaded, fried chicken cutlet topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella, often served over spaghetti — does not exist in Italy. It is a purely Italian-American creation, descended from *melanzane alla parmigiana* (eggplant parmigiana, which IS Italian) and adapted by Italian immigrant cooks who applied the same breading-frying-sauce-cheese technique to the chicken that was cheaper and more available in America than veal (the protein in *cotoletta alla milanese*, the other ancestor). The dish is the flagship of the Italian-American red sauce restaurant and the subject of passionate debate: thin cutlet or thick? Sauce on top or sauce on the side? Mozzarella only or mozzarella-and-Parmesan?

A chicken breast, pounded thin (5-7mm), breaded (flour → egg wash → seasoned breadcrumbs, ideally Italian-seasoned with dried oregano, basil, garlic, and grated Parmesan mixed into the breadcrumbs), and fried in olive oil until the coating is deeply golden and crispy. The fried cutlet is placed in a baking dish, topped with a ladle of marinara sauce and a thick layer of shredded mozzarella (and often grated Parmesan), then broiled or baked until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and beginning to brown. Served over spaghetti with additional sauce.

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