It’s a rare sight when I prepare an American-Italian meal – pasta and chicken parmigiana – but it’s Brian’s favorite, so at least once a month, I’ll make something he’ll definitely enjoy. I was curious of the origins of the dish. Yes, it’s typically found at most chain restaurants and delis, and I had assumed it somehow came from the north with a name like “Parma-“; was I wrong! It is thought that the dish comes from southern Italy (Sicily and Campania take claims to being the originator region of the meal), where it started as eggplant parmesan. The eggplant is a staple in southern Italian cuisine, thus as the dish evolved, layers became chicken and then veal. Today, it’s a more common American dish than Italian, but it is still a beloved favorite by many (especially Brian!)
One of the reason why I don’t cook this meal as much is because there are so many healthier alternatives, but with some tweaking, you can make it a little better (it’s like how diet coke is to coke, sort of). I use whole wheat bread crumbs from my stale bread pile, part-skim mozzarella cheese, and bake the chicken instead of frying. Also, I usually don’t have sauce on hand, so if it’s made and frozen, there’s usually a chance that I’ll make this dish.
1 egg beaten with a tbsp olive oil
½ cup bread crumbs with oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder
1 cup tomato sauce
½ cup part skim mozzarella cheese
2 chicken breasts
Dip chicken in egg mixture and bread. Bake at 400F for 25 mins. Heat tomato sauce. Remove chicken from oven and spread tomato and cheese on top, and place back into the oven to melt cheese. Enjoy!
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