Mimi’s Chicken Parmesan with Mostaccioli
Last summer I was writing a menu for a crowd. Qualifications for foods to be considered: comforting, filling, easy/quick to make and large quantities are easily possible. One of the most successful dinners I did was this chicken parmesan. Which let me start by saying, I’m not Italian nor am I pretending to be from Italian roots. I’m just a Mimi from the midwest who loves feeding her people.
And also? This isn’t a recipe so much as a method. I’m not precious about exact amounts. There is no cookbook deal coming. But I follow a basic process consistently that works for me.
Ingredients & things you’ll need:
Chicken Breasts (1 breast = 2 servings)
Italian Bread Crumbs (originally I bought plain and seasoned them w/italian seasoning and found the seasoning burned, so now I buy them this way)
Panko crumbs
All Purpose Flour
Eggs
Olive Oil & Avocado Oil
Rao’s or YOUR fave jarred marinara sauce (OR when time allows make your own from scratch) ~ enough for the pasta & to serve extra with the chicken
Mostaccioli
Garlic & Onion powders
Salt & Pepper
Fresh basil (extra wonderful when it’s summer and you just snipped it from your garden)
Mozzarella cheese log that you slice into rounds for the chicken
Mozzarella cheese block(s) to shred for pasta
What’s great about this is being able to make a great deal of it ahead of time.
First step is getting the chicken as thin as possible. This is where I grab my favorite cling wrap and try to cover as much of my counter as possible. Then, start by laying the chicken breast flat on a cutting board - which I place on the covered counter. Place your palm gently on top to steady the chicken, then use a sharp knife to slice horizontally through the middle. Make sure to keep the knife parallel to the board, so you end up with two thinner cutlets. Move the cutlets to the covered counter. Layer more cling wrap to seal in the chicken. Then it’s time to pound the cutlets to as thin as you prefer. I personally like them pretty thin bc it makes the next step more successful.
Next, you’ll need three shallow bowls that are large enough to lay each cutlet into. In the first bowl put enough flour to coat the amount of cutlets you have. To the flour add salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder & Italian seasoning. In the second bowl, enough whisked eggs to dip the cutlets. And in the third bowl, enough Italian & Panko (50/50 mix) bread crumbs to coat the cutlets. I don’t find adding anything to the bread crumbs works well. The process is to dip each cutlet first in the flour making sure to coat well but shake off excess. Then dip into the egg ensuring it’s well coated in egg and allowing excess to drip off. Finally coat each side with the bread crumbs ensuring every bit is covered well by pressing gently. Put dipped cutlets onto a platter.
This is where you can move the cutlets to the fridge if making earlier in the day.
When ready to make dinner, it’s so easy from here. Set the oven to 375*. If your kitchen has two ovens set one to 350* (for the pasta) and one to 400* (for the chicken).
Boil the mostaccioli, drain, mix with sauce, throw in a casserole dish and top with shredded mozzarella cheese….
Side Note & Hill I Will Die On ~ It makes a HUGE difference to shred the cheese yourself. I wish it didn’t but it really does. Just this past weekend I tried to make Mimi’s Mac n Cheese with a bag of shredded cheese. Horrible. Like sucked. You think you’re saving time, but not worth it.
….Just before serving, throw in the oven for the cheese to melt. I watch it and literally grab once the cheese looks melty and ready.
The cutlets will first be fried in a pan, then transferred to a baking sheet or dish to be finished in the oven. To fry, I like to add a mixture of my favorite olive oil and avocado oil. Use enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is heated over medium-high heat, add 2 or 3 cutlets at a time (don’t crowd your pan). You want to brown each side then add to the baking sheet. To the browned cutlets add the sliced rounds of mozzarella to each. Place in oven for cheese to melt.
When ready to serve, julienne the basil and toss over the pasta and chicken.
In warmer months I like to serve this with a simple dinner salad and really yummy ranch dressing. If it’s cooler months I love to make a veggie for the side. I’m writing this in September so this time of year that’s a pot of fresh locally grown green beans and corn cut off the cob cooked with locally raised bacon.
Okay so there you have it. Kim’s way to feed a crowd with chicken parmesan!
