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.
PrintSouthwest Chicken Parmesan
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. of boneless chicken breast - sliced thin
- 2 or more cups of plain breadcrumbs
- 4 - 5 eggs or more - beaten
- Corn oil - for frying
- 2 large beefsteak tomatoes - sliced thin
- 1 head of garlic - chopped
- 1 - 2 jalapenos - sliced thin
- Handful of fresh basil leaves - ripped
- 1 bunch of fresh cilantro - stems removed and chopped
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 3 tbs. olive oil
For the Cheeses:
- 8 - 12 oz. block of white cheddar cheese - grated
- 3/4 - 1 cup of fresh parmesan or Romano cheese - grated
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Prepare two shallow bowls; one with the plain breadcrumbs and one with the egg wash.
- Dredge the chicken first in the plain bread crumbs then in the egg wash and again in the bread crumbs.
- Heat a large cast iron frying pan with about ¼ to ½ inch of cooking oil.
- Place the prepared chicken in the heated oil. Do Not Overcrowd the pan.
- When one side get a nice golden turn the chicken over and finish cooking on the other side until a nice golden color appears on the other side. This should take about 3 – 4 minutes per side, depending on how thin the chicken is sliced. The juices should run clear when the chicken is cooked.
- Place the cooked chicken on a platter prepared with paper towels.
For the Veggies:
Combine the tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic, cilantro and basil in a bowl. Add the seasonings and olive oil and let sit while preparing the chicken.
Assembly:
- Preheat Oven 350 degrees F.
- Drizzle olive oil at the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
- Layer the chicken cutlets at the bottom of the pan followed by slices of the tomato and mixture, followed by the grated cheeses.
- Repeat this process ending with the cheeses on top and drizzle the juice in the bowl of the tomato mixture over the pan.
- Place in the oven for 45 – 50 minutes.
- Let rest for 10 – 12 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
angiesrecipes says
That looks like a perfect weekday meal with great flavours!
MELANIE EDJOURIAN says
I love that you've added a twist to the norm. It's a great idea and sounds tasty.
Rhian Westbury says
Chicken parmesan is one of my favourite dishes, but somehow I ended up with a fiance who hates cheese so I rarely make anything like that at home x
Wren LaPorte says
My boyfriend is a huge fan of Chicken Parmesan. I bet he would love to try this!
Melissa Dixon says
This sounds and looks so good. I would love to give it a shot.
Cynthia Nicoletti says
Looks so good our family loves chciken. Will give it a try for sure !!
DAVID J MYERS says
Catherine, This is a nice change of pace from the usual chicken parmesan! Tomatoes with jalapenos with cheddar cheese...right in my wheel house... Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
genesis says
Chicken parmesan to another level! A lovely dish to share with my family. Thanks for sharing this.
Sondra Barker says
Yum! Such a delicious and unique twist on traditional chicken parm! Love the mix of flavors, my family loved this dish!
Jupiter Hadley says
This looks really easy and sounds like it would be a crowd pleaser! Thank you for sharing.
Maren says
My husband is a big fan of Chicken Parmesan. I’m gonna have to make this for him one time!
Kayla DiMaggio says
This southwest chicken parm was so delicious! I kept going back for more! I added to our meal rotations for good as it was a family favorite!
Chef Dennis says
Hmm yum! I can't wait to try this version of yours! This Southwest Chicken Parmesan looks absolutely scrumptious.
Veronika Sykorova says
This chicken parm was so comforting and delicious, our whole family loved it! We were so happy we had some leftovers for the next day too haha
Liz says
Chicken parmesan is a go to meal for us! Love adding some heat to it with the jalapeños!
Anna says
We made this for dinner last night and it was such a success! Even my youngest, who is a really fussy eater loved it! Adding this to my weekly meal planning from now on! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!
Adriana says
This is a scrumptious dish that deserves a special occasion because it is a crowd favorite. I cannot wait to try your recipe at home.
Cathleen says
I am always looking for new chicken recipes, so this one came at the best time. I am definitely going to give this a go soon, bookmarked to make this weekend! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Anaiah says
Loved all the flavors in this southwest chicken parmigiana! It was the perfect dinner recipe to serve to my family who visited for the weekend. Thank you!
Amy B. says
What a delicious take on chicken parm! I love that sliced tomatoes are included. Thanks for the detailed instructions!