Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

This afternoon I had the biggest craving for some homemade chicken parm tonight. So I headed to the grocery store after work and bought all the ingredients to make myself and my roommates a delicious dinner.

All the ingredients I'm using are below. Chicken breast, spaghetti, grated parmesan cheese, spaghetti sauce, italian bread crumbs, mozzarella cheese, and a fine assortment of spices:

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First step - I coated the chicken in scrambled egg, covered it in breadcrumbs mixed with spices and grated parmesan cheese, and fried each piece on both sides in olive oil for about 1 minute to brown each side.

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Then I let the chicken dry out in paper towels to remove excess oil

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Then I covered the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan in sauce before putting the chicken in:

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After putting the chicken in, I covered with slices of mozzarella cheese and more sauce. I top it all off with some salt, pepper, oregano, italian seasoning, and more parmesan cheese.

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The chicken goes into the oven with foil on top for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Then I take the foil off for the last 5 minutes or so to brown the cheese. Afterwards, I served it all over spaghetti with a side salad and garlic bread.

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My roommate even opened up a delicious bottle of red wine for the occasion:

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It was absolutely delicious and now I'm stuffed. The best thing is that I have a few leftover pieces for a great chicken parm sandwich for lunch tomorrow [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

My roommates are now off to get a new keg for our kegerator. Combine that with the fact that I'm working from home tomorrow, and I think I'm gonna get drunk tonight. (The last 2 paragraphs might belong in BBV as brags but whatever.)

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

A+

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

That looks delicious.

May I suggest steamed asparagus with grated Parmesan cheese as an additional side?

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

Well I hope your roommate puts out after all that work.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

My girlfriend is making this for me tomorrow. I'm pretty damn excited.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

What happened to the flour/egg/breadcrumb wash technique?

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]
That looks delicious.

May I suggest steamed asparagus with grated Parmesan cheese as an additional side?

[/ QUOTE ]

That does sound good - I'll have to try that out next time.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

I can overlook not using homeade sauce, although imo, having a bunch frozen at all times is the way to go, but to not use fresh mozz is just wrong.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

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What happened to the flour/egg/breadcrumb wash technique?

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I don't use flour sam, but I do use the egg/breadcrumb combo.

I like to take the breadcrumbs and throw some spices in there as well as some grated parmesan cheese. Then after pounding the chicken, I soak it in scrambled egg before I coat it in breadcrumbs. Then I fry it on the pan for a minute or so on each side before putting it in the pan.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

Buy a lemon. Cut in half and squeeze over both sides after eggwash and before dredging in breadcrumbs or flour. Watch for the seeds. Acidity helps bring out the flavor of the chicken. There's acidity in the tomato sauce but searing the chicken with the breading will not let the acidity from the tomato sauce penetrate when you bake it. So you need the lemon.

The Doc

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]
I can overlook not using homeade sauce, although imo, having a bunch frozen at all times is the way to go, but to not use fresh mozz is just wrong.

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Yeah I know - I thought of this when I got home. I just grabbed a bunch of stuff at the grocery store really quickly as I was in a hurry to get home and make it. But IMO the Sargento mozz cheese is the best "non fresh" mozz there is, and it still tasted delicious.

As for the sauce, I didn't have any made, and I was too impatient to make that myself.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What happened to the flour/egg/breadcrumb wash technique?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't use flour sam, but I do use the egg/breadcrumb combo.

I like to take the breadcrumbs and throw some spices in there as well as some grated parmesan cheese. Then after pounding the chicken, I soak it in scrambled egg before I coat it in breadcrumbs. Then I fry it on the pan for a minute or so on each side before putting it in the pan.

[/ QUOTE ]

I see. I am just noting this because I see that you've lost some breading at various intervals, and the industry standard of flour use typically prevents this.

Francesco Rinaldi is also my preferred jar sauce of choice, so well done there.

Looks good regardless. I really love chicken and veal parm.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

That looks absolutely delicious. My only qualm would be with the cheapo sauce, but otherwise A+.

My girlfriend is 100% italian (but also a vegetarian), but she still makes amazing eggplant parm, and when i request she makes chicken parm that is to die for.


edit: 5000th post. was gonna make it special too. woops. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What happened to the flour/egg/breadcrumb wash technique?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't use flour sam, but I do use the egg/breadcrumb combo.

I like to take the breadcrumbs and throw some spices in there as well as some grated parmesan cheese. Then after pounding the chicken, I soak it in scrambled egg before I coat it in breadcrumbs. Then I fry it on the pan for a minute or so on each side before putting it in the pan.

[/ QUOTE ]

I see. I am just noting this because I see that you've lost some breading at various intervals, and the industry standard of flour use typically prevents this.

Francesco Rinaldi is also my preferred jar sauce of choice, so well done there.

Looks good regardless. I really love chicken and veal parm.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm - I never heard of this but I'll definitely try it out next time I make it.

Veal parm is also fantastic. My father makes a great eggplant parm, which is delicious as well.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

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A+

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Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

B+

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

Strongly suggest against bagged, pre-shredded cheese. Beyond that looks good.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]
Strongly suggest against bagged, pre-shredded cheese. Beyond that looks good.

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Dids - look again. Its not pre-shredded.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

OH.

Hmm...

I will allow it, but still, step your cheese game up and hit up the deli and not the freezer section.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]
My girlfriend is making this for me tomorrow. I'm pretty damn excited.

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Women that can cook are so damn sexy.

I had a first date with a chick who is an overachiever, so she finished HS a year early. She used that year to get a culinary degree while working under a chef in Italy.

Hopefully, I can turn this into at least one homecooked meal. I need some homemade Italian food bad right now.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

This looks good. It's also cool that you can cook, I need to learn.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

Nice cappuccino machine.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My girlfriend is making this for me tomorrow. I'm pretty damn excited.

[/ QUOTE ]

Women that can cook are so damn sexy.

I had a first date with a chick who is an overachiever, so she finished HS a year early. She used that year to get a culinary degree while working under a chef in Italy.

Hopefully, I can turn this into at least one homecooked meal. I need some homemade Italian food bad right now.

[/ QUOTE ]


Another reason I wish I grew up in teh 50s, back than it was a given a chick could cook, now most of them dont even appreciate a food processor for their birthdays.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

If you are going to season the breadcrumbs yourself try using Panko breadcrumbs instead of the already seasoned "italian" ones pictured here.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

Homemade chicken parm is sooo damn good...looks like you did a good job.

I used to make it pretty much every Sunday when the Sopranos were on [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]
If you are going to season the breadcrumbs yourself try using Panko breadcrumbs instead of the already seasoned "italian" ones pictured here.

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The Progresso that he used are actually pretty good, but still missing a few things. A little onion powder and a lot of garlic salt and it's pimp. Awesome fried chicken breading.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

That is 100% "meddagan" but still looks good though.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I see. I am just noting this because I see that you've lost some breading at various intervals, and the industry standard of flour use typically prevents this.

Francesco Rinaldi is also my preferred jar sauce of choice, so well done there.

Looks good regardless. I really love chicken and veal parm.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm - I never heard of this but I'll definitely try it out next time I make it.

Veal parm is also fantastic. My father makes a great eggplant parm, which is delicious as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cappy,

Something to try instead is to dredge the chicken in cornstarch, and make sure to brush off any excess. Then do your egg wash and then bread in flour or bread crumbs or whatever.

You want the thinnest layer of starch (whether that be corn starch or flour or whatever) on your protein before the egg wash, because that's what makes your breading stick. If you can imagine coating a hot dog, you'd roll it in your starch and then just wipe your finger down the length of the dog, leaving a very thin layer sticking. Then egg wash and then bread.

I learned this from Alton, changed my routine to try it out, and now swear by it.

Another corn starch tip: when using it as a thickening agent, make sure the liquid you're adding it to is as cold as possible. Corn starch actually does its thickening thing when it gets heated; add it to something already hot, and it'll simply poof immediately and form giant clumps. If you need to thicken something that's already hot, make cornstarch paste, something like 4 parts starch to 3 or 4 parts water, and then add.

EDIT: spelling

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] chix parm.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

Breading tip number 8000, breading it and chucking it in the fridge for an hour or two makes it easier to fry without losing any of the bready goodness.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

All - Dids note about pre-shredded cheese is good; i.e., don't use it. Pre-shredded cheese has a chemical/preservative added to it to prevent the cheese from sticking together/lumping. The additive also prevents the cheese from melting completely. Maybe its just me, but I also find that pre-shredded cheese often tastes funky, too.

Its perfectly easy to buy a 1 lb. block of whole mozzarella, and to shred it yourself using a collander. Then, just put it into a couple of bags and freeze for future servings.

Even better, see if your local supermarket/deli sells fresh mozzarella, and use that.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]
Its perfectly easy to buy a 1 lb. block of whole mozzarella, and to shred it yourself using a collander.

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http://image.hjbbs.com/blog/zhuxiaog...r%2002_282.jpg

Sam,

How does this work?

OP,

I have a great recipe for homemade sauce. PM me if you ever want to try it.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

Excellent job, OP.

Goonswithspoons ahoy.

We need a food sub-forum.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]

Sam,

How does this work?


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It doesn't work, because I was wrong!

I was referring to http://www.kitchenniche.ca/images/gr...%20trudeau.jpg, which is actually called...wait for it...a GRATER.

This http://hublog.hubmed.org/colander.jpg is a colander, and its only obvious use is for draining.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

Damn, I thought maybe this was a new and less painstaking method for shredding cheese. I inevitably get all frustrated and knick myself on my grater. But fresh shredded cheese really is INFINITELY better than the prepackaged stuff, so it's worth the pain and suffering.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]
Damn, I thought maybe this was a new and less painstaking method for shredding cheese. I inevitably get all frustrated and knick myself on my grater. But fresh shredded cheese really is INFINITELY better than the prepackaged stuff, so it's worth the pain and suffering.

[/ QUOTE ]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/...3L._SS400_.jpg

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

Recently, every day of my life I see things and think "Oooh wedding registry item!" Does that mean I'm getting old? Or just a typical girl? :-/

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

Great job Cappy.

Will you offer delivery services to other cities?

fyc

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Damn, I thought maybe this was a new and less painstaking method for shredding cheese. I inevitably get all frustrated and knick myself on my grater. But fresh shredded cheese really is INFINITELY better than the prepackaged stuff, so it's worth the pain and suffering.

[/ QUOTE ]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/...3L._SS400_.jpg

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Hard cheeses only, I thought.

Re: Made Chicken Parm for Dinner - Trip Report with Pics!!!
 

Sam,

Could be, but I have yet to encounter a cheese that this baby couldn't conquer (but I only eat 3-4 different types).