wait...what is that...is that really...yes...it's tomorrow's lunch

Whenever I make this dish, which is straight up stupid good chicken parmesan, I always make more than I think I'm going to need. And not because the dish astounds my guests into clamoring for more servings, but because, like turkey at thanksgiving, these left overs make the most delicious panini sandwich the next day...I almost ALWAYS make this dish with tomorrow's lunch in mind. It's feels a little dirty...I must say.

OK...so I'm not really going to blog about a leftover dish, though I will be enjoying those paninis shortly, I'm am going to blog about the chicken parm. This dish is definitely a staple of mine. It's a classic. And with a few small tweaks, served with perhaps a side of asparagus risotto instead of pasta, I believe good ol'chicken parm can be quite elegant. Normally I would serve this dish topped with my standard tomato sauce, but last night I paired it with a totally stripped down ultra quick and simple tomato sauce which is far more rustic than my normal sauce...and it made such a difference in the dish, that's it's the only way I'll serve it from here on out. It's a very fresh, light tomato sauce with a slightly bright flavor that really gave the chicken a dimension I haven't previously achieved. Here's my road to discovery.

Chicken Parm

1/2 C all purpose flour

2 eggs beaten with a splash of water

1 C panko breadcrumbs

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 ball of fresh mozzarella

fresh basil chopped

grated parmesan cheese

Directions

This is a standard breading technique and will serve you well with countless dishes. Set up 3 shallow flat containers. I use 3-8"square baking dishes. In the first put the flour, second the egg wash, and finally the panko bread crumbs. Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Now with each breast, roll the chicken in the flour first being sure to get a good all over cover. Shake off any excess and dip into the egg wash. Again, roll the chicken around to get good coverage. Allow excess to drip off and roll around in the panko bread crumbs. Remove to a cooling rack and place in the fridge for 10 min. This step is key as it's going to allow the bread crumb coating to set and adhere to the breast meat so that it doesn't fall off while eating, and also dries the crumbs out a bit to allow them to get a real nice golden brown color. Plus it gives you time to throw the sauce together.

Tomato Sauce

1/4 C olive oil

1 medium onion chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

2 bay leaves

2 28oz cans DICED San Marzano tomatoes

1 tbsp of sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic, and bay leaves and cook until fragrant, about 4 min. Add tomatoes, mix, and cook until liquid reduces about 15 min. Add sugar and season with salt and pepper, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and keep warm.

Finishing

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Remove chicken from fridge. Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium high heat. It's critical to get the oil and butter HOT before adding the chicken to really crisp the panko and get that rich color. Place each breast in the oil and fry for 4-5 min. Don't touch the chicken, move the chicken, pick it up to check the color or anything of the sort. Let it sit and fry. Playing with it is going to break the adhesion between the panko and the chicken and the breading is just going to fall off. After 5 minutes, flip and don't touch it again for another 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the heat and place in a baking dish. Ladle on the warm tomato sauce. Cover with slices of mozzarella and top with fresh grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until cheeses are melted and bubbling. Remove from oven and serve with extra tomato sauce, sprinkle of basil and top with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

For me, the key to this dish is the panko bread crumbs. They're light and airy, crisp well, and develop such color and texture they really add dimension to the dish. Paired with the fresh vibrant tomato sauce, chicken parm cleans up well. One may even call it dapper. So why not upgrade a classic and dress it up for some close friends and family. Not only will you not be disappointed, but you'll be rewarded with an outstanding lunch the next day. More on that to come...

Mangia et statti zitto...

cheers...

dunkin