Chicken parma.....help needed

rascal

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My local has chicken Parma on the menu, the last three times I've been there I picked the Parma. Now I've never had this before, I know, who hasn't. ? Well me. It was 10/10 and I decided and told everyone I'm gunna make this meal for you guys at my place soon. I'm prolly gunna need CraigC advice on this. I'm starting from a blank canvas. The meal said Parma in panko crumbs with napily sauce and ham with cheese. So crumbed chicken dredged and dipped in panko, I get that but on top was a yummy tomato sauce with ham in it and cheese on top of that. It was crispy and now I need to know how to make it as well. Advice or a good recipe please. I know I can giggle it but I want tried and true please. And tips???

Russ
 
Yes the chicken is usually salt and peppered, breaded with flour, egg wash, bread crumbs, then pan fried in olive oil. We use either panko or bread crumbs and add some grated Parm R. BTW, we season the flour and bread crumbs with S and P too. Red sauce is made to our taste. Mozzarella, preferably fresh, on top. Craig will use provolone sometimes though. Then under the broiler just to melt cheese. Pasta on the side.

We don't usually add ham though. Was it in the sauce or a thin sauce laid on the chicken and then the sauce and cheese? If a thin slice, it was probably some form of prosciutto, maybe even parma. If in the sauce, it could have been pancetta or prosciutto, but not parma hopefully.
 
Yes the chicken is usually salt and peppered, breaded with flour, egg wash, bread crumbs, then pan fried in olive oil. We use either panko or bread crumbs and add some grated Parm R. Red sauce is made to our taste. Mozzarella, preferably fresh, on top. Craig will use provolone sometimes though. Then under the broiler just to melt cheese. Pasta on the side.

We don't usually add ham though. Was it in the sauce or a thin sauce laid on the chicken and then the sauce and cheese? If a thin slice, it was probably some form of prosciutto, maybe even parma. If in the sauce, it could have been pancetta or prosciutto, but not parma hopefully.

Ok, what you're saying makes sense, the red sauce you use??? Please! The ham was like store bought sliced and cut into small pieces and in between the chicken and cheese. Would you not put ham in it??
Provolone is not new to me but I don't think I've seen it in shops here? I'll investigate my fave cheese provider Barry's bay cheese. Help on your red sauce would help?!
Cheers
Russ
 
The ham is unusual. Must be their own concoction. Sometimes I skip the sauce, and top the breaded fried chicken breasts with sliced tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Bake or broil until cheese is melted.
 
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Mercy, we don't use a recipe so I have no idea on amounts but I'll try.

For a quickie sauce, dice a small onion into about 1/4 inch dice then sweat in olive oil over medium low to medium heat until translucent. Meanwhile, mince a couple of large garlic cloves, then add them to the onions and cook for a minute or 2. If using dried basil, add about 1/2 Tbsp to start with. We also usually add a good pinch of red pepper flakes since Craig likes the spice. Stir and let cook for a minute. Then, we add about 3/4 cup of wine (white if you want a lighter sauce, a fruity red if you want a heavier sauce). Let that cook for a few minutes to reduce about 1/3. Then add 2 or 3 cans of good quality tomatoes (14 oz cans) with juices and about 1 cup of chicken broth. I usually add a pinch of sugar here to cut down the acidity, but Craig waits. Some salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings, including more sugar, basil, red pepper flakes if necessary. Let it cook for about 10-15 more minutes, taste again.

If you want to use fresh basil instead of dried, throw in a good size stalk of leaves when you add the tomatoes. At the 45 minute mark, remove the basil and add about 1/4 cup of freshly julienned basil.

There's a longer cooking version that we make a large batch of and freeze in portions that we use like a "mother" sauce, adding things to it to make it fit the meal. I do have a recipe for that and will type it up tomorrow.
 
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I think a very thin slice of prosciutto di parma would be a nice addition. There is actually a chicken dish in one of our Italian cookbooks that uses prosciutto and a fresh sage leaf, if I remember correctly, with moz. Don't remember the name. I'll have to see if it's in the book I think it is.

That's the name, saltimbocca. Thanks Karen W
 
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The ham is unusual. Must be their own concoction. Sometimes I skip the sauce, and top the breaded fried chicken breasts with sliced tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Bake or broil until cheese is melted.

Yeah they do it 3 different ways, one has Beetroot in it. Called Parma kiwi way. :hungry:
 
Mercy, we don't use a recipe so I have no idea on amounts but I'll try.

For a quickie sauce, dice a small onion into about 1/4 inch dice then sweat in olive oil over medium low to medium heat until translucent. Meanwhile, mince a couple of large garlic cloves, then add them to the onions and cook for a minute or 2. If using dried basil, add about 1/2 Tbsp to start with. We also usually add a good pinch of red pepper flakes since Craig likes the spice. Stir and let cook for a minute. Then, we add about 3/4 cup of wine (white if you want a lighter sauce, a fruity red if you want a heavier sauce). Let that cook for a few minutes to reduce about 1/3. Then add 2 or 3 cans of good quality tomatoes (14 oz cans) with juices. I usually add a pinch of sugar here to cut down the acidity, but Craig waits. Some salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings, including more sugar, basil, red pepper flakes if necessary. Let it cook for about 10-15 more minutes, taste again.

If you want to use fresh basil instead of dried, throw in a good size stalk of leaves when you add the tomatoes. At the 45 minute mark, remove the basil and add about 1/4 cup of freshly julienned basil.

There's a longer cooking version that we make a large batch of and freeze in portions that we use like a "mother" sauce, adding things to it to make it fit the meal. I do have a recipe for that and will type it up tomorrow.

Ok, gotcha, great mix of food and it all makes sense, I add oregano with my pasta sauce, would you add it here??? We grow our own basil so no drama getting that or fresh oregano. At this rate I think I'll be doing a trial run mid week. I'm excited!! I love cooking for our friends so this will be on the menu when I get it right.it was soooo good last night.

Russ

Russ
 
Yeah they do it 3 different ways, one has Beetroot in it. Called Parma kiwi way. :hungry:
Maybe the ham is their take on Saltimbocca. If you have Italian seasoning, add that to your breadcrumbs.
 
I think a very thin slice of prosciutto di parma would be a nice addition. There is actually a chicken dish in one of our Italian cookbooks that uses prosciutto and a fresh sage leaf, if I remember correctly, with moz. Don't remember the name. I'll have to see if it's in the book I think it is.

I have fresh sage here as well, I can try prosciutto as well. This is sounding better every minute.

Russ
 
Ok, gotcha, great mix of food and it all makes sense, I add oregano with my pasta sauce, would you add it here??? We grow our own basil so no drama getting that or fresh oregano. At this rate I think I'll be doing a trial run mid week. I'm excited!! I love cooking for our friends so this will be on the menu when I get it right.it was soooo good last night.

Russ

Russ

We stopped using oregano in tomato sauces for things like pasta, chicken pram, etc years and years ago. We do add it for pizza sauce. Neither one of us remembers why.

I edited to add some chicken broth to the sauce since I forgot earlier so note that.
 
I've added lemon zest to the breadcrumbs on occasion, but it's not conventional. It's to my taste/liking.
 
Oh, if we want a smooth sauce, we use the immersion blender. If using fresh basil, I would remove the old, then blend, then stir in the new.
 
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