EVERYTHING BUT FISH.

Things you will need:

 

Chicken Parmigiana

• Marinara Sauce (Click here for Marinara Recipe)

• Thinly sliced boneless chicken breasts

• Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

• Flour

• Eggs

• Low fat milk

• Mozzarella cheese (Shaved)

• Parmesan cheese

 

Raspberry Infused Pesto

• Raspberry Vinegar (Crushed Olive makes a great one!)

• Fresh or frozen basil leaves

• Garlic

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 

Tip #1 Get A Really Good Chef’s Knife…It’s Worth It

 

Begin by making the pesto.  Peel and chop garlic, desired amount depends on how strong you would like the taste and add to food processor. I start with a couple of cloves and add more to taste at the end.  Then chop up basil leaves and add to the processors and pulse a couple of times.  Add a dash of raspberry vinegar and olive oil and blend for about ten seconds.  Now this is the tricky part of not using measurements…everything is to your desired texture and taste.  If too dry of a texture add more olive oil, if too soupy add more basil.  Now taste, taste, taste!  Make sure to adjust to you desired flavor.

 

Tip #2 Don’t Always Go By The Recipe, Switch It Up!

 

Season flour with salt and pepper on a flat dish.  Next take four large eggs and add to medium bowl and whisk in a couple of tablespoons of low fat milk. Now take the Italian bread crumbs spread them out on a separate flat dish.  Now take thinly sliced chicken breast and one at a time dredge in flour, dip in egg mixture, shake off excess egg mix and crumb the entire cutlet.  Now put the piece of breaded chicken back into egg mixture and shake off the excess egg mix, and bread the chicken a second time.  Repeat this for all of the breasts and lay onto greased baking sheet.

 

Tip #3 Double Breading Makes for a Nice Crisp!

 

Set oven to 350. Heat olive oil in a large pan (Just enough oil to cover the bottom of pan).  To make sure the oil is hot enough sprinkle some flour into it and wait for it to sizzle.  If the flour starts to sizzle this means that the oil is hot enough and ready for frying! Add chicken to pan and fry on each side until golden brown about 3-5 minutes a side. Remove chicken from pan and set onto baking sheet.

 

Tip #4  When Pan Frying Do Not Get Flip Happy.  Once Should Do!

 

Now add marinara sauce to the top of each pan fried breast.  The amount added is up to you!  I like my chicken extra saucy.  Now add shaved mozzarella to the top of each piece of chicken (Once again the amount is up to you!)  Place chicken in the oven and wait five minutes or for cheese to begin melting.  Remove sheet and take pesto and add to the top of each piece.  Remember pesto has a strong taste so be careful of how much you add.  A few spoonfuls per piece should do.  Put chicken back into the oven and bake for at least 15 more minutes.

Sprinkle with Parmesan and ENJOY!  (Exact cook times are hard to count on so you be the judge of when your parmigiana is cooked through)

 

Suggestions:

• Overcooking the chicken is very easy to do when the cutlets are so thin.  Keep a close eye on them in the oven or they will dry out.

• Try adding pine nuts to the pesto for a change in flavor.

• Serve parmigiana over some nice pasta or with a romaine salad.