"chicken parm"
yes, i'm still cooking and feeding the kids. it's just that they're creatures of habit, and it's been hot as in dog day pant-pant-pant hot, and busy as well with their end of school activities. so i've been dishing up their favorite least-effort kinds of viands: rib roast, roast or steamed chicken, boiled beef dinner, sinigang, fried fish. you know, the kind that i put on the stove, leave, then when i come back, it's done! so they've been having their old favorites.
my version of the Italian-American dish that my kittens love..."chicken parm" for parmesan took a bit more effort and gallons of sweat but it was well worth it all. i made this up as i went along and it turned out so much better than the store-bought frozen chicken patties husband is so fond of. it is usually breaded chicken breast meat served with pasta on the side and topped with sauce and cheese. i wanted to make it less rich and do away with the egg dip; and i wanted it to be very tasty hence the chicken thighs.
combine the following in a shallow glass bowl or pan:
6 boneless chicken thighs ( you may use lean pork or veal cutlets), pounded and flattened with a meat mallet
4 garlic cloves, smashed
fresh oregano and thyme sprigs and
basil leaves (from my little tiny garden!)
a few grinds of fresh black pepper
sea salt
a splash of Maggi liquid seasoning (optional)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, or enough to cover the chicken
mix well and cover with foil or cling film and marinate at least a couple of hours in the refrigerator.
scrape away the garlic and herbs and shake off the excess oil. dip in bread crumbs, making sure to coat every every nook and cranny of the meat.
warm up 2 tbsps. butter and 2 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil in nonstick wide skillet, and brown the chicken cutlets over medium heat about 3-4 minutes per side. keep warm on a rack in a pre warmed oven about 250F as you brown the rest of the chicken.
serve with pasta tossed with marinara sauce and topped with parmesan and melted mozzarella.
(the kids also loved it in bread bun; you may add lettuce and mayonnaise and pickles as you wish.)
