Comfort food should be easy. There needn’t be anything fancy or fussy about mac and cheese. Or chicken pot pie. Or meatloaf. Or beef stew.
Sure, you can gussy them up by adding lobster to your mac and cheese, truffles to your pot pie, or champagne to your meatloaf (yes, I found that on the internet). And Lord knows that Julia Child made beef stew (Bœuf Bourguignon) an unnecessarily day-long affair. (To be clear, I like all of these complicated versions… Well, maybe except the meatloaf with champagne…)
In the end, I think of Mom Food as comfort food. There came a time when Mom started taking cooking classes and subscribing to The Gourmet Magazine. The food on our table changed dramatically. But I can’t necessarily say it was “better.” Because, while we all loved the New Mom Food, we all still loved the traditional dishes and still crave them to this day.
Now, Mom never made Chicken Parmigiana. Nor did my Aunt Rae, who married into an Italian-American family. But somehow, Chicken Parm is on my comfort food list. And it is easy. No fancy or complicated sauce. Just bread and fry the chicken, top with passata, and cheeses, and bake. It’s that simple. These days, we all need as much comfort as we can get.
~ David
Chicken Parmigiana
To print the recipe, click on the small print icon below.
Ingredients
- 4 cups water, divided
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus extra
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
- 3 chicken breast halves
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups Panko
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups passata (tomato purée)
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add salt and sugar, and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer to a large glass or ceramic bowl and add the remaining 2 cups water.
- Slice chicken breasts evenly in half horizontally. You will want 6 similarly sized pieces. The chicken breasts are extremely large, and still think after you slice them, pound them a little bit to thin them out. Place the chicken breast pieces in the brine and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- While the chicken brines, set out two plates: one with 1/2 cup flour and the other with 1 1/2 cups panko. Add the basil and oregano to the panko and mix well. Break the eggs into a shallow soup plate and whisk well with a fork. Place the bowl with the eggs between the flour and the panko.
- After the brine, pat the chicken breasts dry and season lightly with salt, and liberally with pepper. Dredge each piece in the flour, then dip into the egg, and then coat with the breadcrumbs. Set aside. Repeat this for each of the remaining 5 pieces of chicken.
- Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. When sizzling, add three pieces of chicken to the skillet. Sauté until golden brown on the bottom; turn the pieces, and sauté the other side until golden brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Add the remaining olive oil and butter to the skillet and repeat the process for the remaining 3 pieces of chicken.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the 6 pieces of chicken in a large casserole in a single layer. Top each piece with 1/4 cup of passata, season with salt and pepper, and then top with a mound (a rounded 1/4 cup) of grated mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle grated Parmigiano Reggiano over top, drizzle with oil, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheeses are nicely melted and bubbling on top. To ensure your chicken is completely cooked, the internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Serve with a side of buttered spaghetti.
- Serves 6.
- Notes: 1. Brining the chicken does complicate things a bit; it isn’t necessary but it does ensure tender chicken. 2. You can add fresh herbs (basil or oregano) to the passata. 3. Do not buy pre-grated mozzarella or Parmigiano Reggiano; you should grate them yourself, as pre-grated cheese will affect the quality of the final dish.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Chef Mimi
July 23, 2022 at 6:09 amI have a couple of issues with what you wrote. When I saw Mac and cheese, I immediately thought “lobster!” But I get that you like the traditional, especially if it evokes memories. Secondly, Julia Child’s day-long version of boeuf bourguignon is SO well worth the time in the kitchen. There’s special treatment of salt pork, that is separate from the mushrooms… it all comes together perfectly in the end. But I get it. You know me and my rants. I wasn’t raised on classic american fare, so there are no memories associated with Mac and cheese and beanie weanies. But your chicken Parm is outstanding. I am printing the recipe, because I forget to make something like this even though I always have good tomato sauce around. And real Parmesan!! Hope it cools down for you soon!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 23, 2022 at 7:40 amOh, I definitely should habe said that I love Julia’s Bœuf Bourgignon, as well as lobster mac and cheese, and chicken pot pie (or anything) with truffles, but those are zhuzhed up versions for me – and when I need Mom Food, I go for the basics. I wish I had grown up with your mother’s cooking — what a treat. So that makes your comfort food a horse of a different color, eh? What, by the way, is a beanie weenie? I, also bringing to the blog soon one of the most maligned dishes — one that emanated from army and navy mess halls. I can’t wait to see the responses to that one! Thanks always for making these conversations real, Mimi!
John / Kitchen Riffs
July 23, 2022 at 7:52 amI’ve actually been thinking about chicken (and eggplant!) parmigiana lately. One of those dishes I haven’t made in a long, LONG time. Trying to think if there’s anything new and interesting I could do with it — and had pretty much come to the conclusion that the classic version is classic for a reason. Yours looks terrific! And classy, in addition to being classic. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
July 23, 2022 at 8:54 amThanks, John — I suppose there are new and different things could to to it… stuff the chicken breasts with some interesting pesto or something, but then it just becomes the truffled Mac and cheese, right? All variations can be fun but the simplicity is truly classic.
My Pinch of Italy
July 23, 2022 at 8:47 amChicken Parmigiana is something that often makes us Italians wrinkle our noses more because of the name combination than the recipe itself, which I assure yours is intriguing me greatly! I’ll give it a try.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 23, 2022 at 8:58 amFiorenza – I was waiting for this comment, but didn’t know who would be first to say something. Yes, I know these Italian-American dishes can make Italians cringe. (Note – at least I did NOT call it Italian! 😉) However, in deference to Italian sensibilities, I did simplify it, which helps. If you try it, I hope you like it!
Jane Sanders
July 23, 2022 at 11:19 amIt is worth whatever time it takes to create Julia’s Boeuf Bourguignon, but I do save making that wonderful dish for the winter months in Arizona! Too much heat from the oven for too long a time to cook that in the summer months!
It is worth every moment, every second – it’s not hard, just time-consuming.
And as for your Chicken Parmigiana, I’m ready to do it! One of Larry’s very favorite meals, so I know it will be on our table more times than once! But I won’t be making it for the husband of a friend who said that parmesan cheese smells like shoes – he has no idea what he is missing and I have no sympathy for him!!
Thanks for the recipe, David!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 24, 2022 at 9:52 pmOh, Jane — I absolutely agree about Julia’s BB – but I was talking about good old beef stew. I make her BB a at least once a winter and love every minute of the process. But it is a complicated recipe compared to Mom’s.
Parmesan cheese tasting like shoes. Yeah, he can’t come here either.
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
July 23, 2022 at 1:18 pmYou’re so right about needing comfort these days… We never ate Chicken Parm in my family so it isn’t on my comfort food list but still and all it’s awfully tasty. And especially nice this time of year when it’s just too damn hot for most of those heft comfort foods!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 24, 2022 at 9:53 pmI am surprised the Italian-American side of my family didn’t serve it, but I still love it. It is too damn hot, Frank — so glad for A/C!
Eha
July 23, 2022 at 4:27 pmI am laughing reading this as you have written up probably the most popular ‘pub food’ served in Australia ! THE dish one orders with copious beers at one’s corner establishment ! Most people these days do realize it arrived ion our shores from the States and not Italy . . . the main argument seems to be whether a slice of ham is also part and parcel of the scenario. Oh, here it is called ‘chicken parmi’ – well, we do have our own names for most 🙂 ! Am not really a pub-going kind of gal . . . and eggplant seems to appear in my kitchen prepared thus perchance more often . . . . but am glad to meet one of your ‘comfort’ foods . . . lovely recipe . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
July 24, 2022 at 9:54 pmSo fun to learn it’s a major pub food there! Makes perfect sense!
Sherry M
July 23, 2022 at 10:02 pmchampagne meatloaf? that made me chuckle. I agree comfort food should be easy on the arms and heart too. Chicken parmi? Such a pub favourite. I like the idea of brining your chicken first. it does make it tender – er … 🙂
cheers
Sherry
Cocoa & Lavender
July 24, 2022 at 9:55 pmI know, Sherry — I laughed out loud when I say the champagne in the meatloaf!
Ronit
July 24, 2022 at 3:55 pmComfort food is by definition straight forward and uncomplicated. This tasty looking dish is exactly that.
Though I’ll have to wait to try it until the weather gets a bit cooler, even with A/C working 24/7! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
July 24, 2022 at 9:56 pmSame her, Ronit — I’m just so grateful we have A/C!
Velva
July 25, 2022 at 11:30 amHi David, comfort food is soulful. You are right, rarely complicated. Chicken Parmigiana is definitely on the list. Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
Best,
Velva
Cocoa & Lavender
July 29, 2022 at 12:52 pmThanks so much, Velva. I always appreciate your comments.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
July 25, 2022 at 3:48 pmI absolutely agree with you – comfort food should be uncomplicated and relatively inexpensive, too. (Although I must admit I often don’t follow neither of these points, especially when making pasta.) This chicken looks utterly delicious and comforting; that’s a quintessence of comfort food.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 29, 2022 at 12:52 pmI think I want to come to your house for a dish of pasta! Thanks for your kind comment, Ben.
Raymund
July 28, 2022 at 1:14 amOMG those chicken parmigiana looks really good, that melted cheese on top looks so inviting
Cocoa & Lavender
July 29, 2022 at 12:54 pmThanks, Raymund. I think the thing I like most about the photo is that the crispy part of the chicken show through. To me, that means there is the right ratio of chicken to sauce to cheese.
Diana
July 28, 2022 at 6:55 amNever had this – made it and realized what we’d been missing! Added just a tad of fresh basil to the sauce – felt the dish was perfectly seasoned as written. I liked it so much for lunch I wondered whether to eat it for dinner too! But then I realized leftovers can be magic too and . . . No clean up!
Thanks David.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 29, 2022 at 12:56 pmIt’s funny, Diana, that when I made it I thought to myself, “I should’ve added some basil to the sauce.” I definitely will next time. I’m so glad that you and Jeff enjoyed it, and I hope that someday the two of us can cook together!
John
July 31, 2022 at 3:26 amEha is right. Chicken “Parma” or “Parmi” is the undoubted staple on Aussie pub menus. I adore them, especially when they’re done right. Many of us in this part of the southern hemisphere don’t bother making it as it’s always at our local pub. I wouldn’t say no to yours, though, David. Yours looks “beaut, mate!” (say that with your best Aussie accent!)
2pots2cook
August 3, 2022 at 12:12 amLove chicken parmigiana but it’s too hot these days to eat it. We choose fruits and vegetables with high amounts of water since it’s too hot and we have water reductions…… who knows what else is on the horizon…… Hope you both are all right! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
August 3, 2022 at 9:17 amYes, wait till it’s winter, Davorka – it will be a much happier occasion to have this then!
Valentina
August 4, 2022 at 4:42 pmI should not have read this recipe while being incredibly hungry. 😉 Yum! I love uncomplicated comfort — in recipes AND in life. Cheers to that! 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
August 4, 2022 at 9:56 pmThis is a dangerous one for me, too – I just had a healthy dinner but I really want this!
Jean | Delightful Repast
August 4, 2022 at 6:50 pmDavid, what a beautiful plate of food! And a big amen to everything you said. I, too, like to do the complicated versions of many dishes, but sometimes you need a break. AND sometimes the simpler, less time-consuming version of something is just what you need. Comfort!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 4, 2022 at 9:58 pmExactly, Jean. I feel that as long as the ingredients are top quality, simple works really well.