Devin's Chicken Parmesan with Only Trader Joes Products
This was our roommate Devin’s favorite meal at our house, and quite frankly I’ve never seen someone eat so much fried chicken. Maybe it’s because he’s a personal trainer, or maybe it’s because the chicken has a magical way of disappearing from your plate. I’m not entirely sure…
Devin even learned how to make the chicken himself so he could impress his girlfriend with his awesome cooking skills, mission accomplished.
So if you’re looking for a Chicken Parmesan recipe that is far better than the Olive Garden (gasp) you’ve come to the right place.
Devin’s Chicken Parmesan
Serves: 4 (or 3 if you have a hungry roommate)
Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
2 lbs Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/2 Cup of Flour
1 Cup of Panko Bread Crumbs
3 Eggs
1/2 Tsp of Oregano
2 Tsp of Salt
2 Cups of Vegetable Oil
Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheese (For Plating)
For the Sauce:
1 16oz Can of Marinara Sauce
3 Cloves of Garlic
1 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar
1/2 White Onion
1/3 Cup of Dry Red Wine (I like a Syrah for this Sauce)
1 Teaspoon of Salt
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1/2 Teaspoon of Red Chili Flakes
1/2 Teaspoon of Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon of Sage
1/2 Teaspoon of Basil
1/2 Teaspoon of Pepper
For the Noodles (aka Noods):
1 Package of Spaghetti
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon of Salt
Kitchen Utensils:
Large Pot
Large Skillet
Sauce Pan
Chef Knife
Fillet Knife (Optional)
3 Plates
Long Kitchen Tongs
2 Cutting Boards
1 Colander
1 Gallon-Size Ziplock Bag
Meat Tenderizer or Mallet (or a hammer I suppose if you don't have one... just be careful)
Fork
Spoon
Cooking the Chicken:
Crack your eggs onto a plate and use a fork to whisk the eggs together until the yolks and whites are well mixed.
On a separate plate add flour and evenly distribute.
On a separate plate (you should have 3 plates), combine bread crumbs, oregano, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Take your chicken breasts and lay them flat against your cutting board. Press your palm on top of the chicken to hold it in place but keep your fingers up (like you're giving someone a high five.) Now, cut the chicken in half using a fillet knife or chef knife. Take your time and gently try to split the chicken evenly in half. Be mindful to not let the knife go too far up or down. Split all of your chicken this way. You should have twice the number of chicken breast pieces as before.
One at a time, add each chicken breast to the inside of the Ziplock bag. Seal the bag and beat with a meat tenderizer until the chicken is about 1/4 inch thick.
Apply salt to the tops and bottoms of each one of the chicken breasts.
In order, add each chicken breast to the flour mixture, egg mixture, then breadcrumb mixture. Place back on the cutting board once complete. Be sure to evenly coat the entire chicken breast. You may have to add more flour, egg, or breadcrumb mixture depending on how large your chicken pieces are.
Add your vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Wait until the pan is hot enough to make a drop of water sizzle on impact. You can also hold your hand directly above the oil to feel if it is hot.
Once hot, add your chicken to the oil. If the oil doesn't completely cover the top of the chicken, that's ok. You can add as many chicken breasts as will fill the pan.
After about 3 minutes check your chicken breast. If the bottom is beautifully golden brown, flip to cook the other side.
Once both sides are golden brown, remove from pan and place on a plate. Continue to fry the rest of the chicken.
Cooking the Noodles:
Fill a large pot 3/4 full of water. Add salt and turn heat to high. Wait until the water is at a rolling boil.
Unleashing your inner hulk, crack noodles in half over a sink or trash can.
Add noodles and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix the noodles around to ensure they all fall into the water.
Set a timer for the 'Al Dente' time recommended on the package.
Once back to a rolling boil, turn the heat down to medium-high and spin the noodles to prevent sticking. I like to break up the noodles 2-3 times during boiling.
Once the timer goes off, strain your noodles through a colander in the sink.
Immediately after draining in the sink, use the facet head to spray water all over the noodles to remove the starchy water that binds the noodles together.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil (or butter) to the noodles and mix the noodles well. You should try to integrate the oil across all the noodles to prevent sticking.
Cooking the Sauce:
Dice 1/2 a white onion and mince 3 cloves of garlic (on a new cutting board #crossContamination). I like to use a garlic press to make the mincing easier. You can also use the pre-minced garlic, but it's not quite as good.
In a saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onions. Cook the onions for about 3 minutes until they soften.
Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir around. Cook for about 30 seconds, until you can begin to smell the garlic roasting.
Add tomato sauce first, then the remaining ingredients to the pan. Let simmer for at least 15 minutes.
Taste your sauce and add more ingredients as necessary:
Does it make your mouth water? If not, add more salt.
Do the flavors taste flat or boring? If so, add a few drops of white wine vinegar.
Does the sauce taste savory and rich? If not, add a little more olive oil.
Plating the Dish:
In a large dinner bowl or plate, add noodles, chicken, and top with sauce.
I like to add shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese to the tops of mine and a dash of parsley flakes or fresh parsley.
Note: If you want to get REALLY fancy, you could add noodles, chicken, and sauce to a cast-iron skillet or fajita skillet and add a slice of mozzarella to the top. Place in the oven and set to broil for about 1-2 minutes (until the tops of the cheese begin to form little brown circles). This method is a crowd-pleaser for sure.
Serve with the rest of the red wine used in the sauce.