If I had to choose one thing to eat the rest of my life it would be chicken. For one of the many reasons you see here—chicken parmesan. This comes together easily and the best part, the leftovers are even better.
School is around the corner and I’m already missing my boys just thinking about how there will be no pool time during the day, beach time will be limited to the weekends and just general hanging out will now be relegated to the end of the evenings and weekends. The upside is both of my older boys like structure. And they are awesome students.
So with less than a three weeks until school starts, I’m slowly transitioning the family back to life with school. Bedtime has been wound back by an hour and preparatory reading and math is now on the calendar each day for review. Luckily, they don’t seem to mind.
And most importantly, home cooked evening diners are now back on the table with more frequency, starting with this. A meal we all love. Yes, it takes a little more time to make, but it’s worth it. And there are few things I like more than sitting at the dinner table to decompress with my family.
Although I’m the first to admit, I haven’t always been that way. But things change as you get older, and when you have kids things change even quicker. Dinner use to be all about sustenance, now it’s partly that and it’s also a time to nourish–and I don’t just mean our bodies. It’s uninterrupted family time where we all put our electronics down and multi-tasking to the side to talk, laugh and eat with one another.
I hope you enjoy this meal as much as we did.
Chicken Parmesan
By Published: August 19, 2014
- Yield: 4 Servings
If I had to choose one thing to eat the rest of my life it would be chicken. For one of the many reasons you see here—chicken …
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breast, about 1 1/2 lbs. (pound to 1/2 inch thickness)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespon water
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups marinara sauce, store bought or homemade
- 1 1/2 cup mozarella cheese
- Roasted Parmesan Polenta
- 12 oz ready-made polenta, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
- 2 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place flour shallow bowl or a pie pan. In separate shallow bowl or a pie pan combine eggs and water, using a fork, beat until mixture becomes frothy. In a third shallow bowl or a pie pan combine and whisk together, bread crumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Line three mixtures side-by-side for an assembly line.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large oven proof pan over medium heat. Dredge chicken through flour, and then dip in the egg mixture (let excess drip off), then dredge it through the bread crumbs. Repeat with all cutlets. Once the oil is properly heated (pan should sizzle when a few drops of water), add the cutlets and fry for 5 minutes on each side or until golden and crusty.
- Drizzle marinara sauce on top of chicken. Sprinkle mozzarella on top. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve with roasted parmesan polenta.
- To make roasted parmesan polenta: Slice ready-made polenta into 1/4 inch slices and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle grated parmesan and salt and pepper on top. Place under broil for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
Looks fantastic Matt! I love the look of the roasted polenta!
Thanks so much Millie!
I love chicken parm! It’s a favorite around here and always so comforting. This is the prettiest chicken parm I’ve seen 🙂
Wow thanks Bri!
This is the perfect back to school meal and I love the parmesan roasted polenta!
Thank you Tieghan!
Love this Matt! Great post and pictures!
Thanks Justin! Hope you and the family are doing well!
This is a classic for a reason, not overly complicated and absolutely delicious!!
Thanks so much Sophia!
As always, I am now craving this for breakfast! Amazing!
Thank you Jocelyn!
Dude, you are so organized! I’ve been doing the mandatory reading for an hour a day but have not done the going to bed earlier thing yet. Gonna start next week! Love this chicken parmesan. . the perfect dinner for a weeknight!
I can’t believe school is almost here Alice! Trying my best to get organized and ready:)
I may just need to shed a little tear for the end of summer, but with meals like this, I think I can handle the impending chill of fall. I’m in love with those Parmesan polenta rounds…what a fab side dish!
I am the same way Courtney, thank you!
My husband would agree with you that he would choose chicken as the one thing he could eat every day forever and ever. Chicken parm just happens to be his fave, too!
Love hearing that, thanks Ashley!
I would eat chicken if I could have nothing else as well, it’s just so versatile and this dish is perfect!
Thank you Annie!
I envy your boys! your dinner meals always look fantastic!
Thanks Kirbie!
Chicken Parmesan is one of my favorite dinners and I love that yours is accompanied by that tasty looking roasted polenta! What a perfect meal for those fall evenings. Wish summer could last forever…
So do I Amy!
Looks so good. I can’t wait to make it! Theresa @dearcreatives:disqus
Thanks Theresa!
You can never go wrong with chicken and cheese!
I agree Rina, thanks!
Chicken Parmesan is an all time favorite in my house. I’m excited to try your version!
Thanks so much Jen!
This meal looks fantastic! I loved chicken parmesan growing up and my fiance requests it on special occasions – mostly because I don’t usually want to spend the time (and the oil). But now I think I have to make it for him. And I can guarantee there won’t be any of that polenta leftover!!
Luci’s Morsels – fashion. food. frivolity.
Thanks Luci, he would love it! Promise.
I love sitting at the table to share a meal, and nourish my mind and soul too. I am lucky that growing up my family sat down to dinner together every night, and now in our own home my boyfriend and I do the same.
Also, what is it with men and chicken! I asked Chris the same question about which meat he would pick if he could only ever eat one and it was a tie between chicken and bacon! He’s going to love this meal, and the leftovers too!
Happy back to school-ing 🙂
Chris is a smart man:) Thanks Amy!
Perfect back to school meal, love the polenta too!
Thanks Laura!
I adore chicken parm! One of my favorite date night meals too!
Thanks Christina!
Matt that polenta is great with a quick saute with cinnamon and butter and a drizzle of maple syrup in the morning. Back to school breakfast idea for ya! I love that stuff and your Chicken Parm is looking quite good right now.. Time for dinner!
Love that idea actually, thanks Kevin!
I, too, love chicken! And chicken parm is always such a perfect comfort food!
Thanks Kayle!
This is one of my hubbies all-time favorite meals! We usually do it with whole-grain spaghetti, but I think this polenta idea is way more fun. 😉
And I like the whole grain spaghetti idea Allie!
Heck yes!! Chicken parm is one of my fave go-to meals, too! The boys will love coming home to this!! I know, I would!
Thanks Megan!
You just can’t beat a good Chicken Parmesan, it makes me happy from the inside out!
Me too Meggan:) Thanks!
I wish I had a seat at your dinner table, this looks fantastic!!
Any time you’re in the area Sue! 🙂
I have a bag of polenta sitting on my counter because I’ve been meaning to prepare some and now, after seeing your IG feed, I need some Chicken Parm, too! Looks perfect!
Thanks so much Jean!
This Chicken Parm totally jumped out at me from my Instagram feed – it looks amazing!
Thanks Melanie!
So simple and so good. I am pinning to make this soon. I need quick easy recipes for the fall!!
Thanks Miryam!
My sons are older and they are going back to university and college Sep. 2nd and I will miss them also. We had a great summer together. There is not age to enjoy being with your family. We have nice conversation, we do things together. I cherish those moments. Great news my brother had a baby boy this morning. I am super excited I had to share. Your meal is fantastic Matt!
That is exciting news Helene, thanks so much for sharing! Nothing better in this world than life, new life, and sharing special moments with your children, no matter what the age. I hope I am always close with my boys. Have a great weekend!
Oh this is the best meal on the planet!! Chicken Parm and I are like *THIS*!I always say the reason I’m not a vegetarian, yet, is because of CHICKEN! I LOVE me a piece of THAT meat! Also… we started Kindergarten yesterday… I’m still freakin’ out!
Exactly Kate! I am the same way. Kindergarten seems like a lifetime ago for my boys, though it’s really not. I hope you got tons of pictures. Such a special day isn’t it?
I agree with you, Matt. If I had to choose one protein to eat for the rest of my life, it would be chicken, hands down. And your version of chicken parmesan looks delicious (bad idea to read your blog right before lunch time. I’m starving now!). I also love how you create recipes that are not only tasty but also totally do-able in terms of ingredients and time. Just wanted to let you know that it’s appreciated. Have a great weekend!
So nice of you, I love hearing that. Thanks so much Nancy!
Nothing beats the classics imo. I’m there with you man, I could have chicken parm any day of the week!
Thanks Mike!
I’m so with you. Chicken parm is my favorite food ever, yes ever. For some reason, despite our endless italian restaurants here in New Orleans, nobody can do it justice. I’m making this asap! Looks so so delicious.
So glad I stumbled upon your blog! It’s rare that I find another guy blogging about food! Keep doing what you’re doing.
Thanks Graham, I’m glad you found the blog too! I just found your blog, absolutely awesome and can’t wait to dive into it!
I love this line Matt “Dinner use to be all about sustenance, now it’s partly that and it’s also a time to nourish–and I don’t just mean our bodies” – I couldn’t agree more!
And what an awesome dish to sit down to – sometimes when the food is really good, my daughter and I eat in silence with the occasional “mmm mmm mmm” and then talk after the food vanishes – I have a feeling this would be one of those meals!
Isn’t that so true though, especially as we get older. Thanks as always Shashi!
Chicken parmesan is the ultimate family meal, there’s just something so homey and comforting about it, and yours looks nothing short of spectacular!
Thanks so much Nicole!
Yay for awesome dads! A classic and a favorite. Pinning!
Thank you tons Nicole!
Nothing beats a classic! Chicken Parm is the best and this looks wonderful, Matt! I really need to try your polenta!
Thank you Lyuba!
Absolutely love this. My husband made this for me on our first date – Chicken Parm will always hold a very special place in my heart 🙂
Love hearing that, thanks so much!
This is seriously one of my very favorite meals of all time and that polenta…gorgeous! I totally need to give it a try 🙂 Pinned!
Thank you Trish!
YUM! I love this. Especially the idea of serving it with salad greens and polenta.