Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

• 2 large boneless chicken breasts (about 700 g total), each sliced in half horizontally into 2 thin cutlets
• 1 tsp salt, divided for the chicken and the crumb coating
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ cup plain flour
• 2 eggs, beaten with 1 tbsp water
• 1½ cups dry breadcrumbs
• 40 g parmesan, finely grated, for the crumb coating
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 120 ml neutral oil, for shallow frying
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 400 g canned chopped tomatoes or tomato purée
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 pinch chilli flakes
• 6 fresh basil leaves, torn, plus extra to serve
• 200 g low-moisture mozzarella, grated
• 2 tbsp parmesan, grated, for topping

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Lay the chicken cutlets between two sheets of baking paper or cling film and pound gently with a mallet or rolling pin to an even thickness of about 1.5 cm. Season both sides with half the salt and the pepper.
2. Make the sauce: warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and remaining salt. Simmer gently, stirring now and then, until thickened and spoonable, then stir in the torn basil and set aside.
4. Set up three plates while the sauce simmers: flour on the first; beaten eggs on the second; breadcrumbs mixed with the 40 g parmesan, oregano and garlic powder on the third.
5. Coat each cutlet in flour and shake off the excess, dip in egg and let the extra drip off, then press firmly into the crumbs on both sides until fully covered.
6. Heat the frying oil in a large pan over medium heat until a pinch of crumbs sizzles at once. Fry 2 cutlets at a time for about 2 minutes per side until deep golden. Drain on a rack or paper towels and repeat with the rest.
7. Place the fried cutlets in a single layer in a baking dish or on a tray. Spoon about 2 tbsp of sauce over the centre of each, leaving the crisp edges bare, then top with mozzarella and the 2 tbsp parmesan.
8. Bake on the upper rack until the cheese is melted and lightly speckled with brown and the chicken reaches 74°C in the thickest part.
9. Rest for 3 minutes so the cheese settles. Warm the remaining sauce and scatter with fresh basil, then serve the chicken with the sauce on the side.

Tips

• Pound the chicken to an even thickness so every cutlet cooks through at the same time as the crumbs brown.
• Press the crumbs on firmly and fry in batches; an overcrowded pan lowers the oil temperature and makes the coating greasy.
• Keep the sauce off the crumbed edges so they stay crisp after baking.
• Grate mozzarella from a block rather than using fresh, wet mozzarella, which releases water and makes the coating soggy.