Take a good look and discover the hidden element behind this delicious chicken Parmesan. Rather than using a traditional thin chicken cutlet, we’ve opted for a succulent homemade Southern fried chicken piece. It could very well be considered the epitome of comforting cuisine.
Ingredients
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2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
Vegetable oil, for frying
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
One 32-ounce jar marinara
One 8-ounce piece of part-skim mozzarella, sliced into 8 thick slices
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
8 ounces spaghetti
8 fresh basil leaves
Directions:
1: Combine the buttermilk, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon of salt in a sizable bowl, whisking them together. Submerge the chicken in this mixture, ensuring it’s fully coated, then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or ideally overnight.
2: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a baking sheet by placing a cooling rack on it. In a large Dutch oven or pot equipped with a deep-fry thermometer, pour vegetable oil until it’s about halfway full. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3: At the same time, heat another large pot of salted water until it boils. Combine the flour, Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 teaspoons of pepper in a large bowl, whisking them together.
4: Take each piece of chicken out of the buttermilk individually, allowing any excess to drip off, and place it into the flour. Coat the chicken completely by rotating and tossing it in the flour. Transfer the breaded chicken to the oil in batches of 2 to 3 pieces. Fry until they turn a light golden brown on all sides, typically 3 to 4 minutes per side, then transfer them to the prepared rack. Repeat this process with the remaining chicken pieces. Place 2 tablespoons of the sauce on each piece of chicken, followed by a slice of mozzarella and some Parmesan. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, approximately 25 minutes.
5: While that’s happening, put the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook it following the instructions on the package. Warm the marinara sauce in a small saucepan.
6: Spread 1 1/2 cups of warm marinara sauce onto the bottom of a serving platter. Place the chicken on the platter. Serve with the pasta topped with the remaining sauce, a dash of Parmesan, and a basil leaf on each serving.
