Italian-Immigrant cooking, from New York to California, and from Chicago all the way to Sao Paulo, Brazil, is basically a story of taking locally available ingredients, and then fitting together those mismatched pieces into the mosaic of the 'Italian Culinary Ideal.'

I like to imagine that today's 'Southwest Parmigiana' follows in those footsteps. We're trading mozzarella for cheddar, and swapping out marinara for a tomato and jalapeno salsa. The end result is a pleasantly light, yet intensely flavorful parmigiana.

Why you'll love today's Southwest Chicken Parmigiana

1) A Twist on a Classic. There are few crowd-pleasers like parmigiana, whether eggplant, veal, or chicken. However, classics can become 'tired' after a while, and while those original recipes will never be retired entirely, it's nice to have a few flavorful 'twists' on hand. Today's recipe is one such twist.

2) Simpler than the original. In my opinion, today's parmigiana is simpler to make than the original. While neither recipe is what I would call 'easy,' I will say that the jalapeno and tomato salsa is much simpler to prepare than a from-scratch marinara.

3) Summer Friendly. Fresh tasting and quite light (for a parmigiana), today's recipe is warm-weather friendly.

Ingredient Notes, Tips, and Substitutions

1) The Garlic - Fresh is a Must Here. We want the 'whole' flavor of the garlic, and we especially want the 'garlic juice' to seep out and spread through the parmigiana. To that point, garlic powder, or dried garlic chunks, simply won't do. With that said, not only will garlic powder not provide the 'juice' or 'oils' that fresh garlic does, it also tends to be a fair bit milder, while also packing 'herbal' and 'earthy' notes that simply don't meld as well with the 'fresh' flavor profile of today's parmigiana.

2) A Tale of Two Oils. We're using both extra virgin olive oil 'and' corn oil in today's recipe. In the veggies, extra virgin olive oil is simply a must since it's providing the 'base' for the juices, and as such the flavor of the olive oil is really going to come through there, enhancing and adding to the 'fresh' and 'bright' flavor that we're looking for in the veggies. However, in the frying portion of today's recipe, corn oil works just fine - and is likely even 'preferable' for that purpose.

3) Fresh Basil. We want the 'veggies' portion of the parmigiana to be as 'fresh' and 'bright' tasting as possible, and so I strongly recommend using fresh basil as opposed to its dried counterpart. As with most herbs, fresh basil and its dried are 'usually' but not always safe substitutions for one another. I'm using fresh basil today to achieve a 'bright licorice' or 'anise-like' flavor - but both of these flavors are entirely absent in dried basil, where a slightly 'mintier' flavor dominates. Furthermore, fresh basil has powerful aromatics that are reminiscent of a bright summer garden in full bloom, whereas dried basil boasts an earthier, vaguely 'darker' herbal aromatic profile.

Substitutions: Fresh oregano. However, this is not an exact substitution, as oregano has a flavor that's markedly less 'bright,' as well as somewhat more 'herbal,' whereas basil is simply 'fresher' on the palate.

4) The Cheddar. If you either don't have cheddar on hand, or simply prefer mozzarella, go for it. However, if you want to keep the 'Southwest' theme flowing, consider Oaxca cheese, which is similar in taste and texture to mozzarella, and also melts down quite nicely.

If You Liked Today's Southwest Chicken Parm, Be Sure to Try

1) Sweet Mediterranean Lasagna. This lasagna is a bit more colorful by design as compared to the traditional layers of noodles, red sauce, and mozzarella, featuring fresh baby spinach, a touch of sweetness from raisins and cinnamon, and 'Mediterranean' flavors such as capers, oregano, and lots of fresh garlic.

2) Ravioli. My favorite twist on a beloved classic, these homemade ravioli are blissfully simple to prepare, but the real draw here is the delicious mix of asiago, ricotta, mozzarella, and romano, coupled with a fresh red sauce, plenty of garlic, and fresh spinach.

3) Breadsticks. A day or two after I made today's recipe, I prepared homemade breadsticks, and found myself wishing I had Southwest Parm leftovers - the two pair excellently. Paired with some olive oil for dipping, or even some herbed butter or black coffee, these are super versatile and keep great. As a nice bonus, they never fail to impress the guests.