The perfect chicken parmigiana
Pub grub at home is easy with Michelle Southan's step-by-step recipe.
You're just six steps away from crispy, crunchy parmi perfection with Michelle Southan's super-easy recipe, plus her exclusive top 10 tips - find the full story, including step photos and handy tips, in the March 2016 issue of taste mag. Here's a sneak peek:
Chicken & Eggplant Parmigiana
serves 4 | prep 30 mins (+ 30 mins chilling time) | cooking 1 hour 5 mins
4 chicken breast fillets, excess fat trimmed
140g (2 cups) panko breadcrumbs
2 eggs, lightly whisked
2 tbs plain flour
125ml (1⁄2 cup) light extra virgin olive oil
1 (about 350g) eggplant, cut into 1cm-thick slices
8 large fresh basil leaves, torn
180g ctn bocconcini, drained, thickly sliced
tomato sauce
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
700g btl tomato passata
1 Place each chicken fillet between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Use a mallet or rolling pin to gently pound the thickest part of the chicken until the fillets are an even thickness. Place breadcrumbs in a dish.
2 Place egg in a bowl. Place flour on a plate. Season. Coat fillets in flour. Shake off excess. Coat in egg. Coat in breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to stick. Transfer to a tray. Cover. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
3 Meanwhile, heat 2 tbs oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a third of the eggplant. Cook for 2-3 minutes each side until golden. Drain on paper towel. Repeat in 2 batches, adding a little extra oil as needed.
4 For the sauce, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in garlic for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic. Add passata. Cook, stirring, for 15 minutes or until thickened.
5 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook schnitzels, in 2 batches, for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Drain on paper towel.
6 Place half the sauce in a roasting pan. Top with eggplant and chicken. Drizzle with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with basil and top with bocconcini. Bake for 15 minutes or until melted and golden.
