Chicken ParmaStuff

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Description: One of my favorites, just created it the other night when I was preparing dinner for the family, think this one makes the menu. The amounts below are good for 4 people. It uses my wife’s sauce which is amazing. You can prep this on Sunday during the game and chill it in fridge for Tuesday’s dinner.

Ingredients:

    • 2 chicken breasts; throw in freezer 20 minutes prior to prep to make cutlets easier to cut.
    • 1 package of prosciutto
    • Fresh Basil, from your garden of course. You want at least 6 good stems with nice crisp leaves.
    • House Seasoning (granulated garlic, salt and pepper)
    • 2 eggs, cup flour, 2cups Panko breadcrumbs, almost a cup of Italian style bread crumbs.
    • Enough veg or canola or peanut oil to cover the pan at 1/4 inch depth
    • Lots of paper towels to drain the chicken or you can use cooling racks which you place on top a cookie sheet with yesterdays newspaper underneath.
    • Grab a quart or so of Michele’s Marinara Sauce
Awesome
Awesome

Prepare to stuff the breasts:

  • Clean the surfaces get some towels ready for your hands. I like to have a small bowl in the sink with hot water and soap so I can clean up now and then, have a towel just for drying your hands – wash it when you’re done.
  • Have your chicken only cutting board in place and your sharpest knife. Note: You should have 1 special cutting board just for chicken and other fowl.
  • Take the very cold cutlets from freezer and lay them flat, one at a time take your sharp knife and cut lengthwise through the cutlet from one end to the other, just like slicing cheese. You should be able to make 3 slim cutlets out of the one. If pieces fall off don’t worry we can use them at the end to make one special stuffer.
  • Ok, at this point you can tenderize the cutlet if you wish by pounding it out using a tenderizer, I usually don’t worry about doing this and just use my hands to press on it. Configure your workstation for breading. Line up cutlets on right followed by 3 pans for dredge and then a cookie sheet to place the breaded cutlets on prior to frying.
  • Dredge: Use 3 pans or plates or casserole dishes whatever you have.
  • 1. In the first place flower – I like to use wheat flour but you can use any kind. Add some house seasoning to the flour and incorporate.
  • 2. In the second add the two eggs and lightly beat them
  • 3. In the third add the panko/itialian bread crumbs mixture and sure throw in some house seasoning (tsp or two) together. Note: Flower absorbs the water on the meat which allows the egg to attach and the breadcrumbs to join the party. You know, wet doesn’t absorb wet so, from chicken to eggs won’t work you need the flower.
  • Take your house seasoning, spread across the raw cutlets
  • Take each cutlet, add a nice layer of cheese (I like using the sliced Asagio cheese but you can use whateve you want) spread some basil leaves along the cutlet, top with the prosciutto. Roll the cutlet with the mixture, one end to the other. Don’t worry if some stuff falls out, just push it back in.
  • Push down on the roll and form it with your hand so it stays together take the chicken roll and:
  • 1. Dredge in the flower
  • 2. Drop in the egg and roll it (use your fingers to help keep it all together)
  • 3. Drop into the breadcrumb mixture and press on the roll, roll it around ensuring it’s nicely covered
  • 4. Place on a tray, complete with the rest of the rolls.
  • 5. Order the roles in a way such that you can start crisping with the 1st roll you made (idea here is the breading should sit for 5-10 min on tray to combine and get happy together with the chicken)
  • Use a frying pan (stainless steel is my favorite for this but you can use non-stick) on med-high heat
  • 1. Add ¼ cup of the oil.
  • 2. I toss in a small piece of onion and wait for it to sizzle to know the temp is right
  • 3. Add a few rolls, based on how big you made them, don’t overcrowd the oil. You’ll need to flip them.
  • 4. Wait for them to brown, and turn browning the entire roll
  • 5. Take out and place on paper towels or the cooling sheet as described above 6. Season with house seasoning. They are not cooked don’t eat them

Putting it all together – cooking the love:

  • Pre heat oven to 350°
  • Take the cold sauce and spread a nice amount into a baking dish.
  • Add the rolled stuffed browned amazing cutlets Top with more sauce Top with cheese of your choice (I like mozzarella and cheddar).
  • Cook for 30 minutes.
  • Plate up.
  • Some pasta and a chicken parmastuff role or two on each plate.
  • Serve with Parmesan cheese.