When I first started learning how to cook, one of the dishes that broke me into the world of serious cooking was chicken parmesan. It might not seem like it but chicken parmesan is really a gateway to cooking. There are so many techniques and skills to learn in this one dish that it leads you to other great dishes as well as bettering your entire cooking practice overall. Chicken parmesan is the dish to make if you are beginner cook like my wife, Sasha.

I’m currently helping her get more comfortable in the kitchen. She would love to master 5 dishes so when she wants to cook she could just whip one of them up. Automatically, chicken parmesan came to mind because Sasha and so many other beginner cooks out there will learn how to soften and caramelized aromatics, bread and fry chicken breast just until tender and juicy, and make a homemade tomato sauce all within one dish. These awesome technique will be the gateway to an epic cooking adventure. Click to watch the full video and hear all of Sasha’s questions!

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breast
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs
• salt, see instructions
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup of mozzarella
• 1/2 cup of your homemade tomato sauce (recipe down below)

Instructions:

1. Start by placing your chicken breast into a ziplock bag. Using a pan or rolling pin hit the chicken on its thicker end to flatten out the chicken to an even thickness. Once the chicken is an at an even thickness set it aside while you prepare your breading station.
2. Take out three plates and place the flour, egg, and breadcrumb into separate bowls. Sprinkle some salt into each bowl and give each one a mix.
3. Take the chicken out and dredge both sides in flour. Shake off the excess flour and then dip it in the scrambled egg. Make sure to coat both sides.
4. Finally, drop the chicken into the breadcrumbs and make sure that all areas of the chicken is well coated. Place the breaded chicken onto a wire rack and set aside for 5 – 10 minutes.
5. Set a large pan to medium heat. Once you feel the heat coming from the pan drizzle in some oil. Just enough oil to coat the pan, about 1/4 should be enough.
6. Once the oil starts to shimmer, drop in the chicken and let it fry for 3 – 4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and repeat until golden brown. Repeat the cooking process until all your chicken cutlets are done!
7. Grab a sheet pan and place an aluminum foil down. Place your chicken down along with sauce and mozzarella. Broil on low for 1 -2 minutes but watch it carefully. You just want the mozzarella nice and melted. Serve while hot and melted!

Quick & Easy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 – 2 pounds of tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of wine or stock that you like
• 2 heads of broccoli
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Start by chopping your onion and garlic and quarter your tomatoes. Set everything aside.
2. In a large pan on low heat, drizzle in some oil. Once it starts to shimmer add in your onion, garlic, and salt.
3. Once the aromatics have soften add in your tomatoes. Pour in some wine and squish your tomatoes to help it release its juices. Let it cook for 10 minutes on medium to low heat uncovered.
4. Once the sauce gets thicker, sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste. I used some of this sauce to top off my chicken parmesan but you can use this sauce over some pasta or steam some chopped broccoli to serve along side your chicken parmesan for a lighter and healthier alternative.

Beginner Skills: Why Chicken Parmesan is The Gateway into Cooking

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Ingredients:

Chicken Parmesan

• 2 chicken breast
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs
• salt, see instructions
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup of mozzarella
• 1/2 cup of your homemade tomato sauce 

Quick & Easy Tomato Sauce

• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 – 2 pounds of tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of wine or stock that you like
• 2 heads of broccoli
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Chicken Parmesan

1. Start by placing your chicken breast into a ziplock bag. Using a pan or rolling pin hit the chicken on its thicker end to flatten out the chicken to an even thickness. Once the chicken is an at an even thickness set it aside while you prepare your breading station.
2. Take out three plates and place the flour, egg, and breadcrumb into separate bowls. Sprinkle some salt into each bowl and give each one a mix.
3. Take the chicken out and dredge both sides in flour. Shake off the excess flour and then dip it in the scrambled egg. Make sure to coat both sides.
4. Finally, drop the chicken into the breadcrumbs and make sure that all areas of the chicken is well coated. Place the breaded chicken onto a wire rack and set aside for 5 – 10 minutes.
5. Set a large pan to medium heat. Once you feel the heat coming from the pan drizzle in some oil. Just enough oil to coat the pan, about 1/4 should be enough.
6. Once the oil starts to shimmer, drop in the chicken and let it fry for 3 – 4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and repeat until golden brown. Repeat the cooking process until all your chicken cutlets are done!
7. Grab a sheet pan and place an aluminum foil down. Place your chicken down along with sauce and mozzarella. Broil on low for 1 -2 minutes but watch it carefully. You just want the mozzarella nice and melted. Serve while hot and melted!

Quick & Easy Tomato Sauce

1. Start by chopping your onion and garlic and quarter your tomatoes. Set everything aside.
2. In a large pan on low heat, drizzle in some oil. Once it starts to shimmer add in your onion, garlic, and salt.
3. Once the aromatics have soften add in your tomatoes. Pour in some wine and squish your tomatoes to help it release its juices. Let it cook for 10 minutes on medium to low heat uncovered.
4. Once the sauce gets thicker, sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste. I used some of this sauce to top off my chicken parmesan but you can use this sauce over some pasta or steam some chopped broccoli to serve along side your chicken parmesan for a lighter and healthier alternative.