Chicken Parmesan holds a special place in many hearts. The crispy breaded chicken cutlets, smothered in rich tomato sauce and melted cheese evoke feelings of warmth and satisfaction with every bite. Forget colonel Sanders, we’ve got our own crispy chicken! This recipe is unique because it uses a simple greek yogurt mixture, (more on this later) instead of eggs for the Panko to adhere to. And NO you will not notice this substitution; in my humble opinion the greek yogurt mixture actually helps the panko bread crumbs stick better. You can thank me later– just don’t send your angry Nonna after me.
This crispy chicken parmesan is packed with flavor and delightfully crunchy, while simultaneously melting in your mouth. Please don’t overcook the chicken, capeesh? To get this delicious crispy chicken coating, you must fry it. Wait!! Before you click out of the screen, let me tell you frying is not as scary as it seems. It is a very quick, shallow fry. Just think of it like adding a smidge extra oil to the pan when you sauté spinach. Then you remove it to a pan to finish cooking in the oven (if needed) and to melt the cheese. Im not asking you to do anything crazy!
Chicken parmesan is one of those recipes that is impressive to many, and actually quite simple to make. Let’s take a look at the basic process.
3/7/24 update on 4C Italian bread crumbs – allergy warning!
Unfortunately, the brand I recommended before (4C) has switched suppliers and their bread crumbs now have a new label. The bread crumbs contain eggs, which is a huge bummer as it was our favorite. Also what would be the point of me recommending an egg free recipe only for the bread crumbs to contain them! So, please use extra caution with this brand if you have egg allergies. They have recently switched suppliers and have updated the label with this information. As always, stay vigilant and re-read labels when using store bought products.
How to achieve crispy eggless chicken parmesan:
Gather 3 medium sized plates or shallow containers. I use disposable plates in a pinch.
So to reiterate,
First- flour
Second- yogurt mixture
Third- breadcrumbs
–> Pro tip- To avoid the contents of the breading sticking to you, do all pieces at the same time, then move on to the next station. For example, coat all the chicken with flour, THEN coat all chicken with yogurt, and Finally coat all chicken in bread crumbs.
I use chopsticks and a variation of a spider colander, but feel free to use whatever metal or wood utensils you prefer to cook and remove from hot oil.
Remove cooked chicken to a wire rack to let the excess grease drain off, you could also use paper towels on a plate. Immediately sprinkle with salt! Hot fried food is begging to be salted! Don’t skip this step 🙂
Place chicken on oven safe pan. Top the chicken with a light layer of red sauce, then sprinkle on desired amount of cheese. Place in oven to bake until cheese is melted and or golden.
Voila! You did it!
For extra picky eaters, this chicken tastes great straight out of the fryer without any sauces or cheese. Be sure it is cooked through completely.
Not your Nonna’s Chicken Parmesan [egg free, nut free]
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven or heavy bottomed and tall skillet
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 pound thinly sliced chicken breast
- 1 ½ cups panko Italian seasoned bread crumbs *check ingredients for egg
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- dash salt and pepper
- ¼ cup plain greek yogurt OR sour cream*
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or canola)
- ½ tablespoon water cold or room temp
- olive oil or canola oil for frying
Ingredients for topping
- ¾ cup Marinara sauce (your favorite red pasta sauce)
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt -for sprinkling on top straight out of hot oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F, prepare a cooling rack with parchment under it (this is for the chicken to rest on and let the oil drip down.) Set aside.
- Prepare the greek yogurt egg replacer mixture: on a medium shallow plate or bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of plain greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon of oil, and 1/2 tablespoon water. Stir to mix well until a smooth consistency is formed.
- Gather 2 other medium sized plates or shallow containers. One plate is for flour plus a dash of salt and pepper. Another plate is for for the greek yogurt mixture. The third plate is bread crumbs/panko.
- Pat thinly sliced chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Dredge each sliced chicken breast in flour, patting off excess, then dredge each piece of chicken in the yogurt-mixture, sliding excess mixture off with your fingers so it is a light coating. Finally dredge all pieces in panko bread crumbs. Be sure to press the chicken well into the crumbs, getting into all nooks and crannies.
- Heat a dutch oven or tall walled cast iron with about 1-2 inches of oil, target temperature of oil between 325-350°F. If you don’t have a food thermometer, dip a wooden chopstick in and watch for bubbles to sizzle around it. If no bubbles arise, the oil is likely too cool and not ready.
- One at a time, slowly lower dredged chicken into hot oil. When the pan-side chicken looks golden, carefully turn chicken over, usually 1-2 minutes per side. Internal temperature of chicken should be at least 165°F. Set on wire rack to let grease drip off. Immediately salt the hot chicken straight out of the fryer. Repeat process with remaining chicken pieces.
- Place fried chicken on sheet pan, add desired amount of sauce and cheese. Bake until cheese is golden or melted. Approximately 10 minutes.
- Serve alongside your favorite pasta dish, a salad, or garlic bread!
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