Chicken Parmigiana
Thin, evenly sized cutlets cook more evenly and give you more crisp edges. Keep some of the marinara for serving, so the breading is not completely covered before it reaches the table. The dried herbs in homemade Italian seasoning go into the crumb coating.
Homemade seasoning: HKT Homemade Italian Seasoning — https://www.homegrownkitchentable.com/all-recipes/homemade-italian-seasoning
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 2 medium breasts, split horizontally into 4 cutlets
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons water, for the egg wash
1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon HKT Homemade Italian Seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup olive oil or other frying oil, divided; use only as needed for batch frying
2 cups prepared marinara sauce, divided
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set an oven-safe metal rack over it, or use the lined sheet directly if you do not have a rack. Split the chicken breasts horizontally into 4 cutlets. If needed, flatten the thicker spots between sheets of parchment so the pieces are about ¼–⅜ inch thick. Pat dry and season both sides with all the salt and pepper.
Set up three shallow dishes. Put the flour in the first. Beat the eggs with the 2 tablespoons water in the second. Mix the panko, all the Parmesan, homemade Italian seasoning, and garlic powder in the third.
Coat one cutlet at a time in flour, shaking off the excess; dip into the egg wash, then press into the Parmesan-panko mixture on both sides. Set the breaded cutlets on a clean plate. Discard leftover flour, egg wash, and crumbs that touched raw chicken after the breading is finished.
Warm all 2 cups marinara in a small saucepan over low heat while you fry. In a large skillet, heat about 3 tablespoons of the measured frying oil over medium heat. Add 2 cutlets without crowding. Fry for about 2–3 minutes per side, until the crumbs are golden. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 2 cutlets, adding more of the measured oil only as needed to maintain a thin layer in the skillet. Remove scorched crumbs between batches. Continue directly to oven finishing rather than chilling partially cooked chicken.
Spoon ¼ cup warm marinara onto each cutlet, using 1 cup total and leaving some crisp edges uncovered. Divide all the mozzarella over the 4 cutlets. Keep the remaining 1 cup warm sauce separate for serving.
Bake for about 5–10 minutes, until the mozzarella melts and the center of every cutlet reaches at least 165°F on a food thermometer. Check the thinner pieces first and add time only where needed. Spoon the reserved warm sauce beside the cutlets when serving. Let the frying oil cool safely before disposing of it; unused oil is not added to the sauce.
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F. Use within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F throughout.