Simple Chicken Parmesan

Cooking Recipes Catalogue
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Simple Chicken Parmesan is the perfect dish to lure kids into the kitchen - what kid doesn't like chicken tenders and spaghetti? And this dish is loaded with mini cooking lessons. With one simple recipe, kids learn how to boil pasta, mince garlic, grate c

INGREDIENTS (for 4 servings):

PREPARATION:

  • In a large saucepan, heat garlic and 2 Tbs. oil over medium-high heat until garlic starts to sizzle. Stir in tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a simmer; simmer until sauce thickens a bit and flavors meld, 10 to 12 minutes. Cover and keep warm. (Remember, this makes twice the amount of sauce you need, so put aside half for another meal.)
  • Put chicken pieces between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound, using your fists or a heavy pan, until the cutlets are about 1/4-inch thick.
  • Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large soup kettle.
  • In a pie pan, beat egg until well-blended. In another pie pan, mix bread crumbs and more black pepper. Preheat broiler.
  • Working one cutlet at a time, dip both sides of each in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs. Put cutlets on a wire rack set over a cookie sheet (this step helps breading stay put).
  • Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch skillet. When oil starts to shimmer, add cutlets and saute until golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes total. Wash and dry the wire rack and return to cookie sheet. As the cutlets saute, cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions.
  • Transfer cutlets to clean wire rack over cookie sheet. Top each with a portion of the cheeses. Broil cutlets, 4 to 5 inches from heat source, until cheese melts and is spotty brown.
  • Drain pasta. Put a cutlet and a portion of pasta on each of 4 plates. Spoon 2 or 3 tablespoons of sauce over part of each cutlet, then sauce the pasta as desired. Serve with extra Parmesan.


  • Note:

    If you think this recipe contains too many lessons for one night, consider a few shortcuts. You can substitute a good-quality tomato or marinara sauce for the homemade, and you can buy pre-grated cheese and butcher-prepared chicken cutlets from your store's meat case.



    This recipe was originally featured in the USA WEEKEND article Kids in the Kitchen: A Lesson They'll Love on February 22, 2004.

    Find the Perfect Recipe from Pam Anderson.

    Copyright 2004 USA WEEKEND and columnist Pam Anderson. All rights reserved.