Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally into 4 cutlets
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups jarred marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Method

1. 1

   Step 1. Plan on about 80 minutes: 20 minutes of preparation, a required 30-minute refrigerated dry brine, about 25 minutes to brown and bake, and 5 minutes to rest. Use a 12-inch skillet, three shallow bowls, a small saucepan, a plate, a foil-lined 13-by-18-inch rimmed sheet pan, and an instant-read thermometer. Heat the oven to 425°F.

2. 2

   Step 2. Place the cutlets between sheets of parchment and pound the thicker areas to an even 1/2 inch. Pat dry; sprinkle both sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before breading. Keep the raw-chicken board and utensils separate from the finished-food plate.

3. 3

   Step 3. Put the flour in one bowl and the eggs in another. In the third, combine the panko, 1/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Coat each cutlet with flour, shake off the excess, dip in egg, then press into crumbs. Discard leftover breading mixtures that touched raw chicken.

4. 4

   Step 4. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown two cutlets for about 2 minutes per side; they will finish cooking in the oven. Transfer to the sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and cutlets, lowering the heat if the crumbs darken quickly.

5. 5

   Step 5. Warm the marinara in the saucepan over low heat until steaming; use a thick sauce that stays on a spoon. Spoon the warm marinara down the centers of the four cutlets, leaving some crisp edges exposed. Divide the mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan over them. Bake for about 5–10 minutes, beginning temperature checks at 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and a thermometer inserted sideways into each cutlet’s thickest part registers 165°F. If needed, continue baking and check again.

6. 6

   Step 6. Rest for 5 minutes, then scatter the basil over the chicken. Serve one cutlet per person, spooning any sauce from the pan alongside. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours.