Whenever we go out to dinner, Mom insists that we order something that we normally do not have at home. If we choose hot dogs or macaroni and cheese we inevitably get the lecture that eating at a restaurant should be an opportunity to break out of the normal foods you always eat at home.
Then she breaks into her story of how she always ordered Chicken Parmesan at restaurants before she started cooking. The first time she made it, she was actually mad at how easy it was because she felt like she wasted all of those restaurant meals on something that wasn’t all that difficult to make for herself.
This story, however, is never told when Dad is around. He has labeled Mom’s Chicken Parmesan as one of his favorite meals and she for sure is not going to tell him that it’s easy!
Can Kids Make Chicken Parmesan?
My sisters and I have made this many times on our own, so you can rest assured that it is a kid-friendly cooking recipe.
There are two options in our house for Chicken Parmesan, either over pasta or as warm sandwiches. This is mainly decided on whether Mom remembered to buy rolls or pasta, or what happens to be in the pantry. (This might change now that we know how to make our own buns!)
We decided on sandwiches this evening, so the chicken was cut into small strips. We did get help with this, as raw chicken is one of those items that makes us both feel woozy and gross. So Mom to the rescue.
Next, we prepared our bowls for dipping. First, the chicken gets coated with a beaten egg, then into panko or breadcrumbs. We had Italian panko this time and I was a bit surprised by how orange it was. Perhaps it is the paprika?
After warming some oil in a frying pan, we put each strip in and let them get a nice crusty edge. We suggest not crowding the cutlets and making sure you have enough oil in the pan so the panko sticks to the chicken.
After they are browned on each side, we lay them into a baking dish that has been coated with spaghetti sauce.
We baked this batch for 30 Minutes and then used our meat thermometer to make sure all of them were past 165 degrees. Our oven runs hot, so we were well above the minimum.
Then we top the chicken with some mozzarella and either let it sit to melt for a bit or put it back in the oven for just a few minutes. Of course, we didn’t actually have any mozzarella. But we did have cheese sticks. So we figured why not pull them apart and layer them on the chicken? Genius, right?
In this house with picky eaters, garlic bread is always a win. We popped the buns under the broiler and watched carefully!
And just like that, we have dinner. For Mom and Dad of course. We do not like chicken.
Better than Restaurant Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Chicken Breast
- 1 Large Egg
- 2 Cups Italian Breadcrumbs or Panko
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1-2 Cup of your Favorite Jarred Spaghetti Sauce (depending on how much sauce you prefer with your meal)
- 1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
- 4 Sub Rolls or 1 Pound Pasta
Instructions
- Cut chicken breast into ½ inch wide cutlets.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Prepare dipping bowls: one with beaten egg and one with breadcrumbs/panko.
- Heat olive oil in frying pan, then add chicken and brown each side until crispy. Do not overcrowd.
- Pour spaghetti sauce into 9x11 baking dish. Nestle chicken into the sauce.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until temperature reaches 165°.
- Add shredded mozzarella and allow it to melt.
Notes
This is great served over pasta or toasted rolls. If you like chicken.