Chicken Parmesan
ACTIVE 1 HR 15 MIN; TOTAL 4
HR 45 MIN; SERVES 6New York City chef Daniel
Humm doesn’t mess around
when he makes chicken
Parmesan. He tops the
chicken with a silky béchamel,
slow-simmered tomato sauce,
and lots of cheese before
baking everything together.TOMATO SAUCE
(^1) / 2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely
chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
2 28-oz. cans whole
peeled tomatoes,
crushed by hand
2 basil sprigs
2 thyme sprigs
1 small bay leaf
BÉCHAMEL
1 1 / 4 cups whole milk
2 garlic cloves
2 thyme sprigs
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
(^1) / 4 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
CHICKEN
1 cup all-purpose flour
(^1) / 4 cup cornstarch
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 1 / 2 Tbsp. dried oregano
11 / 2 tsp. cayenne
Kosher salt and pepper
6 large eggs
2 cups plain dry
breadcrumbs
2 skin-on whole chicken
breasts (about 2 lbs.
each)— bones cut off
and discarded, breasts
pounded to^1 /^2 -in.
thickness
Canola oil, for frying
11 / 2 cups shredded
mozzarella (6 oz.)
(^1) / 2 cup freshly grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano
cheese
Cooked pasta, for
serving
Torn basil and small
leaves for garnish
- Spread béchamel over
chicken. Top each breast with
1 cup tomato sauce, ¾ cup
shredded mozzarella, and
¼ cup Parmigiano (reserve
remaining tomato sauce for
another use). Bake for 5 min-
utes, until cheese is melted.
Serve over cooked pasta and
garnish with basil.
—DANIEL HUMM
WINE Robust, spicy Italian
red: 2012 Villa Antinori
Chianti Classico Riserva.
Giant Chicken
Parmesan
ACTIVE 50 MIN; 1 HR 20
MIN; SERVES 4 TO 6SAUCE(^1) / (^4) cup extra-virgin olive oil
(^1) / 2 red onion, finely
chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15-oz. can whole peeled
tomatoes, crushed by
hand
(^1) / 4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp. finely chopped
basil
2 tsp. chopped oregano
Kosher salt and black
pepper
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
CHICKEN
3 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1 / 2 cups panko (Japanese
breadcrumbs)
2 10-oz. skinless,
boneless chicken breast
halves, butterflied and
lightly pounded until
very thin (scant^1 / 4 in.)
1 Tbsp. thyme leaves,
chopped
1 Tbsp. finely chopped
rosemary
Kosher salt and pepper
(^1) / 2 stick unsalted butter
(^1) / 3 cup canola oil
(^1) / 2 lb. fresh mozzarella,
thinly sliced
(^1) / 2 cup freshly grated
Grana Padano cheese
- Make the sauce In a large
saucepan, heat olive oil. Add
onion, garlic, and a generous
pinch of salt. Cook over
moderately low heat, stirring
occasionally, until soft, about
20 minutes. Add tomatoes,
basil, thyme, and bay leaf,
and cook over low heat,
stirring occasionally, until
thickened and reduced by
half, about 3 hours. Discard
herb sprigs and bay leaf, and
pass tomato sauce through a
food mill into a heatproof
bowl. Season with salt. - Meanwhile, make the
béchamel In a small sauce-
pan, combine milk, garlic, and
thyme, and bring just to a
simmer over moderate heat.
Remove from heat and let
stand for 10 minutes, then
discard garlic and thyme
sprigs. In a medium sauce-
pan, melt butter. Add flour
and cook over moderate heat
until a thick paste forms, 3 to
5 minutes. Very gradually
whisk in warm milk until
smooth. Simmer over moder-
ate heat, stirring, until thick
and no floury taste remains,
5 to 7 minutes. Season
béchamel with salt. - Make the chicken In a
large baking dish, whisk the
flour with the cornstarch,
garlic powder, oregano, cay-
enne, and 1½ teaspoons each
of salt and pepper. In another
large baking dish, beat eggs.
Spread breadcrumbs in a
third large baking dish. Sea-
son chicken breasts all over
with salt and pepper. Coat
chicken in flour mixture, then
dip in beaten egg and dredge
in breadcrumbs, pressing to
help them adhere. Transfer to
a large baking sheet. - Preheat oven to 425° F.
Line a large baking sheet with
parchment paper. In a large
saucepan, heat 3 inches of
canola oil to 350° F. Add 1
chicken breast and fry over
moderately high heat, turning
once, until an instant-read
thermometer inserted in the
thickest part registers 155° F,
about 7 minutes. Transfer to
baking sheet. Repeat with
remaining chicken breast.- Make the sauce In a
medium saucepan, heat olive
oil. Add onion and garlic and
cook over moderate heat,
stirring occasionally, until
softened but not browned,
about 8 minutes. Add toma-
toes, crushed red pepper, 1
tablespoon basil, 1 teaspoon
oregano, and a generous
pinch each of salt and black
pepper and cook, stirring
occasionally, until the toma-
toes break down and the
sauce is thickened, about 20
minutes. Stir in butter until
melted, then stir in remaining
1 tablespoon basil and 1 tea-
spoon oregano. Season sauce
with salt and black pepper. - Make the chicken Preheat
oven to 350° F. In a large bak-
ing dish, beat eggs. Spread
flour and panko in 2 separate
large baking dishes. Sprinkle
chicken breasts all over with
thyme and rosemary and
season with salt and pepper.
Dust chicken with flour, then
dip in beaten egg and dredge
in panko, pressing to help
crumbs adhere. - In a very large skillet, melt
butter in canola oil until shim-
mering. Add 1 piece of
chicken and fry over moder-
ate heat, turning once, until
golden and cooked through,
about 7 minutes. Transfer to
paper towels to drain. Repeat
with remaining chicken. - Transfer chicken breasts to
a large rimmed baking sheet.
Spread sauce over them and
top with mozzarella and
Grana Padano. Bake for about
10 minutes, until cheese is
melted and hot. Serve right
away.—MICHAEL SCHLOW
WINE Vibrant, earthy Chianti
Rufina: 2014 Selvapiana.
- Make the sauce In a