One aspect of the kitchen that I’ve really never enjoyed is washing pots, pans – doing the dishes. Sometimes it can’t be avoided and other times I might even forego making something that requires a lot of clean-up…depends on my mood I suppose. Sometimes I also crave a dish but I don’t want the huge clean-up associated with this dish and such is the case with Chicken (or veal) Parmesan.

The classic Italian-American dish consists of pounding chicken fillets into thin paillards, seasoning them then dredging in flour, beaten eggs then a breadcrumb mixture. The chicken then gets fried (browned) on both sides then transferred to a baking vessel with the tomato sauce, cheese (s) and finished in the oven. Oh, a pot of water is also placed on the stove-top to boil the accompanying pasta for the dish.

The old-school Chicken Parmesan requires you to use and clean a cutting board/work surface, three bowls for your dunking station (flour, eggs, breadcrumbs), a large skillet and a baking dish to finish the entrée. That’s a lot of washing for a dish that’s really simple. Today we’re going to simplify the cooking process without compromising the flavour. Yes, the old school Chicken Parmesan is still tastier but this version is both healthier, less clean-up and still a delicious and presentable meal for the “busy” mom who still has to put dinner on the table.

The One Skillet Chicken Parmesan

(serves 4)

4 chicken breasts or thighs (boneless)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2/3 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. dried Greek oregano

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh basil

olive oil for frying

3 cups of canned plum tomatoes, hand-crushed

1 cup of fresh basil leaves, hand-torn or chopped (1/4 cup reserved for garnish)

1 medium onion, diced

5-6 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 cups of grated Mozzarella cheese

grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1 500gr. package of dry spaghetti

1. Trim your chicken of any fat and rinse and pat-dry. Place your chicken in between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with the flat side of a meat pounder/tenderizer (or use a heavy pot) to flatten the meat into thin paillards. If the pieces are now too big, you may cut them into smaller portions.
2. Add your cornmeal and flour into a large plate/platter and add the dried oregano, basil and mix thoroughly with a fork. Brush both sides of your chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Dredge both sides of  chicken in the flour mixture until well-coated and reserve.
3. Place a large skillet on your stove-top over medium-high heat and when hot, add some olive oil and place your chicken in the hot oil and fry on both side for about 2-3 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remove and place on paper-lined towel and reserve.
4. Drain the oil used for frying and replace with a 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil turn the heat to medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and allow to sweat for about 6 minutes. Now add the plum tomatoes and white wine and bring up to a boil. Season with some salt and pepper and reduce to a simmer. Place your chicken gently into the sauce and cover with the lid (slightly ajar) and simmer for 30 minutes or until the sauce is thick and the chicken is fork-tender.
5. In the meantime, place a pot of water on your stove-top and bring to a boil. Add a good amount of salt plus your spaghetti and cook according to package instructions (time your pasta to be ready when the chicken is done).
6. When the sauce is thick and chicken is fork-tender, uncover and place some basil leaves and orgeno on each portion of chicken and top each piece with a good amount of grated Mozzarella. Lower the heat to low and cover the chicken until the cheese has melted.
7. Remove the chicken from the skillet and keep warm. Drain pasta and divide and portion pasta in each plate. Top each portion of pasta with chicken parm. Top with some grated Parmesan or Romano cheese and divide and serve.