Parmigiano Panko Herb Encrusted Chicken Breasts
This is my version of Italian Fried Chicken. Well I am a Southern girl after all & do love fried chicken so I thought this would be a good marriage of the two! I’ve been crazy for Panko lately & just love the texture & crunch that it gives, all the while being light & airy! Crazy I know, but true.
These cook oh so quickly too because of the thinness of the chicken, so keep an eye on them. I think there is something truly therapeutic about pounding things with a mallet & do it every time I can. My version of therapy I suppose. LOL. If you don’t have a mallet, use a rolling pin or even a cast iron pan. I should mention that your mallet will need to be smooth not serrated *wink wink* you don’t want to impale your chicken and distribute plastic wrap throughout it either! Just sayin’.
Use your judgment with the amount of cheese & panko you’d like to add. Remember you’re making this for your family & your tastebuds. Sometimes I go a little heavier on the Parmigiano (no surprise there) and of course be sure to let your chicken rest before serving so that they’re juicy & succulent!
I prepared these with Peperonata the other evening & just loved the flavors together!
What do you like to do with Panko?
What you’ll need:
4-6 Chicken Breasts (enough for your family) pounded out to roughly 1/4″
Panko Flakes
1 1/2 cups of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 tbsps Dried Basil
s/p
extra virgin olive oil
What to do:
Trim your chicken breasts of any excess fat. Take some plastic wrap & cover your chicken breasts & pound them out with a mallet until they’re about 1/4″ thick. In a large pan (I used my chicken fryer) over medium-high heat, put enough olive oil to pan fry your chicken breasts. While your oil is heating, place your Panko flakes into a pie dish (or another dish large enough to bread your chicken). I used about 1/2 of my box for 6 chicken breasts. Add in your Parmigiano & season well with s/p. Sprinkle in your dried Basil. Mix together with a fork. Take your chicken breasts and press them into Panko mixture. Flip & do the same. Continue until all of your chicken is breaded. Place breaded chicken breasts into hot oil & fry until golden brown on both sides. Careful not to crowd the pan (do batches if necessary) Roughly 3 minutes per side depending on the thickness of your chicken. Allow chicken breasts to rest before serving.
Buon Appetito!
Goes great with:
Roasted Rosemary Potatoes & Peperonata
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How do you say delicious in Italian, again? Delizioso? Well, however you say it. This is super delicious! Now I want this for dinner tomorrow!
And, it’s okay, you’re not the only one who goes a little heavier on the Parmigiano.
Lovely post and great photo!
Grazie Kamran! Yes, it’s delizioso! Bravo! It’s really easy peasy! You should try it with the Peperonata for an extra flavor burst (but if not it’s quite dee-lish on it’s own)! Buon appetito!
looks so crunchy and flavorful.
Beautiful! I love the panko bread crumbs… I find they are perfect for baked versions of a lot of my favorite fried dishes - fish and chips, chicken parm, breaded veggies, etc. I still get a delicious crunch without the added fat of frying.
Ooh…those look wonderful. YUM.
Thanks Wendy! They’re perfect when you don’t have a lot of time to cook but still want something flavorful & delicious!
Thanks Jen! I am crazy for Panko! I still can’t get over the crunch it gives! Amazing.
Thanks Linda! Just love what Panko can do! Love it!
I’ll have to try this on my husband - being Texans, we like anything breaded and fried! My favorite panko thing is to mix it with sliced fresh okra and diced bacon that I’m oven-roasting just towards the end of the cooking time. If it looks too dry, a little drizzle of olive oil along with the crumbs helps. My easy version of that Southern delicacy, fried okra!
Reading about your Italian past brought back warm memories of our trip to Venice and Tuscany last summer. We even shopped the markets and prepared our own meals a few times - I shooed my husband out the door once when he was being annoying and told him to take a walk and collect some herbs, and he did manage to find some! My mouth is watering just thinking about that wonderful fresh food!
Ciao!
Ciao Susan! Glad you’re enamored with Italy as much as I am! Your fried okra version sounds great! Hope you love the chicken as much as we do!
Great crust on that chicken!
Thanks Maria!
Hey, I’m lovin’ your site already! I’m a Southern girl too. Plus…I’ve got a similar recipe to this on my blog. I use panko, a little fresh rosemary, and parmesan cheese. It’s delicious with a rosemary white wine sauce!
Look forward to reading your posts.
Also….love the graphics. Can I ask who’s responsible? My husband’s a graphic designer and I’m an interior designer so we’re always paying attention. Thanks!
Carli
http://www.velveetaaintfood.blogspot.com
I love how simple this recipe is- it looks great. I love Panko too- crunchiest crusts ever!
Oh my! I just saw the shot of Panko Herb Encrusted Chicken Breasts and had to change my dinner plans. Thank goodness I have panko in the house!
Your shot is mouth-watering.
The “kids” love fried chix, so I’m gonna try this tomorrow. I have no doubt it will be great. All of your recipes have been great!
Love the herb crust! Looks and sounds wonderful!
These chicken breasts were a big hit. I made the peperonata to go along with it which was lush and full of flavor. Thanks, Paula.
Hey Lisa! Mwah Glad you loved them. I really am lovin the Peperonata as well! Goes with so many things!
Thanks so much Ann! The crust is what makes it & the secret is the Panko
Thanks Justopia that’s a huge compliment. I hope you guys love it too! I now have Panko in the house at all times LOL!
Ciao Sara! Thanks so much - it does make the crunchiest crusts ever
Hi Carli! Thanks so much! A white wine sauce would be fab over this! I’m all about the details as well. Believe it or not, It’s a Wordpress Theme. So glad you like it. I think it’s pretty snappy myself
Perfect timing! Just took out some chicken breasts from the freezer for dinner tonight and was looking for something good to do with them- and then I stumble across your recipe! Looks and sounds delish! Thanks!
Wow yummy! I will definitely have to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Paula-Got a call from a girlfriend who made these chix breasts and is now absolutely in love with Panko. She is now a bellalimento “believer”. She also makes some dandy limoncello and strawberry creme cello!!!
I used turkey breast and this came out fabulous!
Thanks so much Leslie! So glad to hear it turned out fab!
Paula – I am going to try and make these tonight, but just two chicken breasts…about how much olive oil would you put in the pan for frying?
Hi Amanda- So glad you’re going to make these! My family adores them. I would put enough oil olive so that the chicken breasts can pan fry comfortably. I’d estimate, that the oil arrive slightly over the bottom edge of the chicken. If you find that the oil is cooking down too quickly add a little more. Hope you <3 it!
Thank you!! Can’t wait to try it!
Your quite welcome Amanda! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out!