Chicken Parmigiana

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 x chicken breasts - butterflied

• 1 cup flour

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1.5 - 2 cups panko crumbs (top up as you go)

• 1/2 Tbsp salt + more to taste

• 4 Tbsp cooking oil

• 4 slices of thinly sliced ham

• 1 Tbsp tomato paste

• 1 cup tomato passata/tomato puree

• 2 cups grated cheese

Optional:

• 4 pineapple rings

Method

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees. 

• To butterfly chicken breast - place your hand flat on top of the chicken and carefully slice into the long side of the breast, being careful not to cut all the way through. Start at the thickest end to the thinnest point. Open out the breast so it resembles a butterfly. 

• Set up 3 separate shallow bowls. Spread flour in one, whisk egg and milk in another, and mix panko crumbs and salt in the last bowl. 

• Dredge and crumb the chicken. Press both sides of chicken into flour, then shake off excess. Coat in egg, letting excess drip off, then press into the panko crumbs.

• Fry each breaded chicken breast in 1Tbsp cooking oil each, on low-med heat until golden brown, being careful not to burn the crumb. Approx 3-4 mins per side. Transfer breasts to an oven tray.

• Combine tomato paste and tomato passata in a small bowl. Lay a slice of ham over each cooked breast. Spread a layer of tomato mixture over the ham. Optional: if your family likes pineapple, you can place a ring over the tomato mixture now. Finally cover each one with cheese. 

• Place the trays of chicken in the oven until the cheese is bubbling and chicken is fully cooked through (approx 10 mins). You can switch the oven to grill for a couple minutes to brown the cheese. 

Serve with salad, garlic bread or mashed potato.