Bistro Chicken Parm

I saw an instagram post from Bobby Flay just casually creating a simple chicken parm dish one day and I wanted to try and make it like him.  It seemed so simple, and it is! 

Ingredients: 

1 cup of panko bread crumbs
1 cup of flour
2 eggs
Olive oil and canola oil
fresh thyme
salt and pepper
8 oz of fresh mozzarella, sliced
1/2 cup of freshly shredded parmesan cheese
5 oz arugula
big handful of fresh basil
2 (14oz) cans of tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped
8 cloves of garlic, smashed

2 chicken breasts, pounded thin

2 TBSP butter

1 TBSP sugar

1 Lemon

Directions: 

1. Let's make the sauce. Add butter to a large sauce pot. Then add onions and 6 cloves of smashed garlic. Add some salt and pepper and sweat for about 8-10 minutes.  

2. Add tomato sauce and simmer on low, covered for 30 minutes. 

3. Taste for seasoning. Add more salt, pepper and then add the sugar. Keep warm until serving. 

4. Let's bread the chicken. Make sure your chicken is pounded evenly thin and season with salt and pepper. Season each of your FEB stations with salt and pepper. Dip the chicken in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Set on a sheet tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the breading to set in. 

5. Make your basil oil - combine a big handful of fresh basil, a big handful of arugula, 2 cloves of garlic, salt and pepper and stream in some olive oil in a blender. Strain the oil. Reserve

6. Fry the chicken - heat a mixture of olive oil and canola oil in a large pan. Fry your chicken pieces about 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and 165 in the center. Place on a wire rack over a sheet pan. 

7. Place the sliced mozzarella on top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Place under the broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheese. 

8. Toss 2 handfuls of arugula with the juice of half a lemon and a TBSP of basil oil. 

9. To plate, scoop some sauce on the bottom of the plate. Place the chicken on top of the sauce. Place a handful of arugula on top of the chicken. Spoon your basil oil around the outside of the sauce ring. Sprinkle with more parmesan. 

Serve right away! 

Wine pairing: 

Boekenhutskloof

The Chocolate Block

2023

Franschhoek, South Africa