Chicken Parmigiana

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, pounded to 5–7 mm
• For the breading
• 100 g plain flour
• 2 eggs, beaten with a splash of water for egg wash
• 150 g dried breadcrumbs, Italian-seasoned: mixed with dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, and grated Parmesan
• 30 g Parmesan, finely grated, mixed into breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp dried oregano, mixed into breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp dried basil, mixed into breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp garlic powder, mixed into breadcrumbs
• For frying
• 120 ml olive oil
• For topping
• 400 ml marinara sauce, one generous ladle per cutlet
• 200 g mozzarella, shredded, thick layer
• 40 g Parmesan, grated, for the top
• To serve
• 400 g spaghetti, cooked to order
• 200 ml marinara sauce, additional, warmed, to dress the spaghetti

Method

1. 1
   Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 5–7 mm throughout. Uniformity is essential: thick or uneven cutlets produce a raw centre and overcooked edges before the crust has finished.
2. 2
   Set three shallow dishes in line: plain flour in the first; the beaten egg wash in the second; the breadcrumbs combined with dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, and grated Parmesan in the third. Dredge each cutlet in flour, shaking off the excess, draw it through the egg wash, then press firmly into the seasoned breadcrumbs. Turn and press again. Inspect every cutlet for bare patches — any uncovered spot will not crisp and will leak moisture during frying. The coating must be complete.
3. 3
   This is where the dish lives or dies. Pour olive oil into a wide, heavy frying pan to a depth of 3–4 mm and set over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, fry the breaded cutlets until the coating is deeply golden on both sides — not pale gold, but a rich amber that holds its crunch. Underdone breading will turn irreversibly soggy the moment sauce and cheese are applied. Drain the cutlets on a rack, not paper, so the underside does not steam.
4. 4
   Arrange the fried cutlets in a single layer in a baking dish. Spoon one ladle of marinara sauce over the top of each cutlet — over the top only, so that the bottom crust remains crisp against the dish. Cover with a thick layer of shredded mozzarella, then scatter grated Parmesan over the surface.
5. 5
   Slide the dish under a hot grill (broiler) or into a high oven until the cheese is fully melted, bubbling actively across the surface, and beginning to colour in patches. The mozzarella should pull and blister; any unmelted white patches indicate the dish is not ready.
6. 6
   Serve immediately over spaghetti dressed with the additional warmed marinara. The bottom crust of the cutlet should still carry a perceptible resistance when pressed with a fork — the moment it yields entirely to compression, it has softened too far and the dish should not be held.