Recipe Background
Jackie Kennedy Chicken Parmesan: a celebration dish, easy elegance.
The first time I made Chicken Parmesan was on a memorable Thursday night when I returned home after successfully closing a deal that took months in the making. I wanted a dish that encapsulated triumph, a dinner to celebrate in style. A recipe inspired by Jackie Kennedy seemed fitting; it promised a touch of elegance with a hint of comfort. As I reached for my trusty, freshly grated parmesan, I thought of the countless nights I’d come home exhausted, but this time was different, electrifying.
While combining panko breadcrumbs with a handful of parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil, I could almost hear the satisfying crunch that awaited. I seasoned the chicken generously, knowing well-sketched flavors would make this dish sing. As the aroma of oregano and garlic from the tomato mixture filled my kitchen, I was reminded of evenings in my grandmother's kitchen where such scents brewed a lasting sense of comfort.
I learned the chef's secret that night: a light coat of nonstick spray before baking keeps the chicken gloriously golden without any extra hassle. When the tomatoes burst and the cheese melted beautifully, I took a pause—the mozzarella adding its creamy note that completed the symphony. Garnishing with fresh basil, I made a mental note to always add a bit more than I thought necessary; it brought the dish to life. That dinner was more than a meal—it was a well-earned milestone marked with simple, satisfying flavors.
Ingredients
For the panko mixture:
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the chicken:
- 3 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 chicken cutlets
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- nonstick cooking spray to taste
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella sliced
- fresh basil optional, to taste, chopped, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Lightly coat a baking pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs, the parmsan cheese, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and stir to combine.
- Season the panko mixture with the salt and the black pepper. Set it aside.
- In a medium bowl, add the tomatoes, the garlic, the oregano, the red pepper flakes, and the remaining olive oil and stir to combine.
- Season the tomato mixture with the salt and the black pepper. Set it aside.
- Season the chicken cutlets with the salt and the black pepper.
- In a shallow dish, add the flour.
- In a separate shallow dish, add the beaten eggs.
- Working with 1 of the cutlets at a time, dip the cutlets into the flour, then into the beaten eggs, and then into the panko mixture and press slightly to adhere the coating.
- Lay the coated chicken cutlets in a single layer in the prepared baking pan.
- Coat the chicken cutlets with the nonstick spray.
- Bake the chicken cutlets for 8 minutes.
- Add the tomato mixture to the prepared baking pan, placing it around the chicken cutlets in a single layer.
- Bake again for about 15 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of cooking time, top the cutlets evenly with the mozzarella, then bake until the tomatoes burst, the cheese is melted, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Serve immediately garnished with the basil.
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