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Basil-Perfumed Chicken Parmesan

A brief broiler finish melts mozzarella over crisp, pan-fried chicken cutlets without turning their panko coating soggy.

Crisp chicken Parmesan with bubbling cheese sits beside sauced bucatini on a dinner plate.

Chicken Parmesan works best when its components have distinct jobs: a bright quick tomato sauce, a crisp cutlet, and a short blast of broiler heat for cheese. Serving the pasta alongside rather than underneath maintains that contrast from the first forkful to the last.

Pound for even cooking

Halving and pounding the chicken makes a wide, thin cutlet that fries quickly before its crumb coating darkens too far. Aim for an even half-inch rather than trying to flatten every edge paper-thin.

Build a crust that stays put

The flour-cornstarch, egg, and panko sequence creates a dry outer layer that can brown in oil without relying on flour alone. Press the panko onto the chicken, then fry in batches so the skillet remains hot enough to crisp instead of steam it.

Breaded chicken cutlets with center stripes of tomato sauce and mozzarella wait on a baking sheet. — A thin stripe of sauce leaves a crisp panko border exposed before the cutlets go under the broiler.

Keep the sauce direct

A whole basil sprig, stem and leaves intact, gives the crushed tomatoes a clean basil perfume in just one minute. Remove it before the longer simmer: the sauce tastes unmistakably of basil but stays smooth and free of visible green flecks. Bucatini is the first choice here; cavatappi also catches sauce well, while orzo makes a good nontraditional alternative.

Broil with attention

The broiler step is intentionally short, so stay nearby once the cheese goes on. Remove the pan when the mozzarella bubbles and freckles brown; longer broiling can harden the chicken and soften the breading.

A sliced chicken Parmesan cutlet reveals tender chicken beneath a crisp panko crust and melted cheese. — Melted cheese and bright sauce sit on the center of a chicken cutlet with a deeply crisp border.

Basil-Perfumed Chicken Parmesan

4 servings

60 minutes total

Ingredients

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 basil sprig, leaves and stem intact
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 8 oz low-moisture mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
•

Method

Make even cutlets
Slice each chicken breast horizontally into two cutlets, place them between sheets of parchment, and pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness so they cook at the same rate. Use bucatini by default; cavatappi or the smaller amount of orzo are fallback pasta choices.
Look for: All four cutlets are an even thickness with no thin torn edges.
Season and bread
Season the chicken with kosher salt and black pepper, then coat each piece in the flour-cornstarch mixture, beaten eggs, and panko breadcrumbs, pressing the panko onto both sides.
Look for: The panko forms an even, firmly attached coating with no wet bare patches.
Start the tomato sauce
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat, cook the yellow onion until softened, then add the 3 garlic cloves and stir until fragrant without browning.
Look for: The onion is translucent and the garlic smells sweet, not toasted.
Simmer the sauce
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1/4 tsp salt, nestle in the whole basil sprig with its stem, and simmer for 1 minute until the basil perfumes the tomatoes; remove and discard the sprig, then cook uncovered until the sauce is bright and lightly thickened.
Look for: The sauce coats a spoon lightly, smells of basil, and has no visible green flecks.
Boil the bucatini
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the bucatini until just shy of al dente, then reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain; use cavatappi the same way, or cook orzo separately until tender.
Look for: The bucatini bends easily but still has a firm pale center when bitten.
Fry the cutlets
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry the breaded chicken in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp.
Look for: The crust is deep golden, audibly crisp, and releases easily from the skillet.
Prepare for broiling
Arrange the crisp cutlets on a rimmed baking sheet, spoon a thin stripe of tomato sauce over each center, and keep the exposed breading dry around the edges.
Look for: Sauce covers only the middle of each cutlet and a crisp border remains visible.
Melt the cheese
Top each cutlet with mozzarella and Parmesan, then broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat until the cheese melts and spots of brown appear, watching closely.
Look for: The cheese is bubbling with golden spots while the breaded edges remain crisp.
Sauce and serve
Toss the drained bucatini or cavatappi with enough tomato sauce and reserved pasta water to coat it lightly, or dress the drained orzo with sauce, then serve beside the chicken Parmesan immediately.
Look for: The pasta is glossy and the chicken crust remains crisp when cut.