The Easiest Way To Give Chicken Parmesan An Added Touch Of Flavor

Belovedly draped over a plate of pasta, enveloped in crusty Italian bread as a sandwich, or eaten on its own, improving the classic recipe for chicken parm can seem impossible. How could one possibly upstage the tender cutlet, the crackling exterior, the sweet sauce, the blistered parm and mozzarella? We're not suggesting a reinvention of the (cheese) wheel, per se, but rather a simple step to accentuate this recipe's already stellar ingredients.

The step is short and simple: Rather than sprinkle your parmesan onto the dish toward the end of the cooking process, mix it with Panko and bread your chicken with it. The result? A crunchy exterior that incorporates wisps of caramelized, crispy aged cheese. This method allows you to include the star ingredient in more ways than one — resulting in a multi-dimensional chicken parm that truly defies time (i.e., you'll manage to eat it in less than 2 minutes).

For a great chicken parmesan, you'll want to start with thin, pounded slabs of chicken breast, salting it for at least a couple hours before the cooking process begins to tenderize and season the meat. Then, the breading: For every 2 pounds of chicken you prep, mix 2 cups of Panko, a couple of teaspoons of dried oregano, and 1/2 a cup of Parmesan. For extra fragrance and punch, feel free to add freshly cracked black pepper, or more dried herbs — rosemary, parsley, or basil — to the mix. 

We recommend Panko because its lighter, flakier consistency makes for a shattering crunch that's far superior to that of the average breadcrumb. And when it comes to a choice for parmesan, it's best to opt for grated — the powdery, snowlike texture you see in the grocery store aisle — rather than the shredded version. (Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-clumping additives, which can hinder the melting process.)

From there, dredge your chicken in flour, then beaten egg, before ultimately dunking it into your Panko-parm mixture. Whether you pan-fry, air-fry, or bake your chicken, something magical will happen: the Maillard reaction. Beloved by cooks everywhere, this chemical phenomenon occurs when proteins and sugars are met with high heat, leading to crispy, browned edges with complex flavoring. Your Parmesan-crusted chicken will be somewhat reminiscent of the humble frico — an Italian snack created when dried cheese is melted and over heat until it crisps up — and we're not complaining.