Crispy Cheesy Chicken Parm Sandwich Recipe

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Cooking With Anadi

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Crispy Cheesy Chicken Parm Sandwich Recipe

This recipe in no way is the classic way to make a chicken Parmesan sandwich. The classic method usually involves a soft hoagie bun, crispy chicken parm which is smothered with marinara and mozzarella cheese. I however, like to keep things crispier, after all, we worked so hard to prepare that crispy cutlet.

I start off with a ciabatta bun which is toasted to avoid things from getting too soggy. To toast, simply add a bit of olive oil and toast on a pan or under the oven broiler until light golden brown.

Then to prepare the sandwiches, apply a bit of marinara on each side and then top with a generous piece of warm chicken Parmesan. Sprinkle on some fresh basil and you have yourself a great looking sandwich.

Are you ready for a life-changing sandwich? Don’t forget to watch the video to follow along with me making it! If you haven’t already, please subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the bell button so you receive the notifications when my video recipes go live! I love to share the video recipes along with the written ones so you’re guaranteed the best results when making your creations! Let’s get cooking!

Why Make This Chicken Parmesan Sandwich?

The star of this recipe is the crispiest chicken cutlet, which is shallow fried until golden brown and juicy inside. The key to the crispiness is Japanese Panko breadcrumbs and a well breaded chicken.

Here’s why you’ll love this chicken Parmesan sandwich recipe!

• Minimal ingredients: You probably already have everything to make this sandwich! Just ensure you get some Panko breadcrumbs and a nice crusty bread and you’re all set!
• Perfectly crisp chicken: This recipe will show you how to make the perfect crispy chicken. You can bake it or shallow-fry it, I’ll show you both versions. The chicken is amazingly crisp and flavorful on the outside, and warm, tender and juicy inside. You’ll get the best balance no matter if you bake or fry it.
• Saucy and cheesy: We have the golden ratio of sauce and cheese in our sandwich! No dryness going on here!
• Simple procedure: Although it may seem like a lot of work to make these sandwiches, it’s not! Just follow my guide and you’ll be set up for success! In fact, you may become addicted to making these sandwiches once you see how easy they are to make!
• Crowd pleaser: This sandwich would be awesome to make for guests! You can easily scale this recipe and it’s not much extra time to make plenty of sandwiches!
• Extremely delicious! An obvious one! Trust me, you may want another sandwich it’s that good!

This recipe will also show how to make a baked Chicken Parmesan Sandwich, so be sure to check out the bottom of this post for that alternative. A baked chicken Parmesan sandwich will be a great way to cut the calories significantly. Although the flavors from a yummy fry-up is unbeatable, one needs to take into account their heart health, and the frequency of these fry-ups. With this Crispy Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Sandwich recipe, you can choose whichever version you want so you can have the best chicken Parmesan sandwich on any occasion!

Additional Tips for the Best Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

• Make sure to press on the Panko breadcrumbs well on the chicken cutlets for an even and crispy breading.
• Shake off any excess breading before adding the chicken to the fryer, this will help keep the oil clean.

Tools Needed

• Cutting board
• Chefs knife
• Plastic wrap
• Meat tenderizer
• Large bowl
• Whisk
• Baking sheet
• Wire rack
• Tongs

Ingredients for Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

Let’s go over the ingredients we’ll need for the perfect Parmesan chicken sandwich! Don’t forget that the full PRINTABLE RECIPE is available for you to save for later at the bottom of this post! The recipe card is great because you can scale the recipe based on how many portions you want to make, and all quantities are automatically adjusted - no need for mental math on your end!

• Chicken: I’m using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin cutlets. If the chicken breasts are very thick, you’ll need to pound them to thin them down. One chicken breast is good for two sandwiches. You could buy chicken cutlets at your grocery store to save some time, but I find they’re over-priced!
• Flour: I’m using all-purpose flour to bread the chicken. This will help absorb the moisture from the chicken.
• Eggs: Part of our breading station, and the eggs help the breading stick to chicken.
• Panko breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are my key to getting the best crispy chicken! You could use regular breadcrumbs if you don’t have or can’t find Panko breadcrumbs, but I recommend Panko because you get an extra crunchiness! Regardless, Panko breadcrumbs are worth the investment!
• Spices: We’ll be seasoning our breading mixture with salt, pepper and oregano.
• Fresh basil: We’ll be chopping our basil into a chiffonade for garnish.
• Marinara sauce: Check out my recipe for Homemade Marinara Sauce for details, or use your favorite homemade or jarred sauce.
• Cheese: Part-skim mozzarella and Parmesan are used to top our chicken cutlet.
• Bread: I’m using a ciabatta bun, but you could also use a baguette or a hoagie or Portuguese bun.
• Oil: For shallow frying. I’ll be using vegetable oil. If you are baking your crispy chicken, then I recommend you brush on olive oil to get the perfect crispiness and the aesthetic golden brown color!

How to Prepare the Crispy Chicken Cutlet

In this recipe, I am using small chicken breasts which do not need to be portioned in half.

Measure out flour, egg and breadcrumb in different plates/large bowls. Season flour with salt and pepper, lightly whisk the egg and sprinkle oregano on the breadcrumbs.

Working with one chicken portion at a time, dredge the chicken in flour, shake off excess. Dip the chicken in the egg and evenly coat both sides. Let excess drip off and coat the chicken in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to press the breadcrumbs on the chicken for an extra crispy chicken.

Baked Crispy Chicken Recipe

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Place breaded chicken on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Bake on the top-most rack of the oven for 12-15 minutes turning once at the 7 minute mark. In the final minute of cooking, turn on the broiler to lightly roast the breadcrumbs.

Shallow Fried Recipe

Heat 1-2 Cups of oil in a pan on medium heat. Depending on the size of your pan, the oil should reach 1/2 inch above the surface of the pan.

Carefully, place the breaded chicken in the hot oil. Cook for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Turn, and cook for 4 more minutes. Using tongs, place chicken on a baking tray or wire rack, lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

How to Make Crispy Chicken Parm Sandwich on Ciabatta?

Once the crust of the chicken is golden brown, take chicken out of the oven. Top the chicken with marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan directly on the wire rack.

Turn on the broiler and place baking tray back in the oven on the top-most rack and cook until the cheese is bubbly and a light golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Remove the chicken parmesan from the oven.

Slice the ciabatta in half and drizzle each side of ciabatta with olive oil and place under the broiler to toast. Cook for 1 1/2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Once toasted, spread 2 Tbsp of marinara on each side.

Roll up 3-4 leaves of basil into a cigar and slice to make chiffonade.

Place freshly baked chicken parmesan on the ciabatta, garnish with basil and top with the other half of the ciabatta.

Slice in half and serve hot with an extra helping of marinara.

One aspect you have to keep in mind is the chicken is already cooked and the crust is perfect crispy brown. Reheating at high heat will cause the chicken to become dry and dark. Also, don’t even consider reheating it in the microwave, unless you enjoy soggy breading. Oven is the way to go!

Preheat the oven to 375 F and place the chicken on a baking sheet, line with a wire rack. The wire rack, will help lift the chicken, ensure that the bottom doesn’t get soggy.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until warmed through and cheese becomes soft.

Setting Up the Dredging Station

Clear a large cutting board or a stretch of counter and set out three wide plates in a row: flour, egg, panko. That is a quarter cup of all-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper, one large egg lightly whipped, and half a cup of panko breadcrumbs with half a teaspoon of oregano sprinkled over them. Work with one chicken portion at a time so the station stays clean, and keep the breaded cutlets in a single layer once they are coated, because stacking them undoes the crust before it ever gets near the heat.

That half teaspoon of oregano is the only measured seasoning in the whole breading. There is no garlic salt, no garlic powder, no red pepper flakes and no Italian seasoning blend, and there is no unsalted butter anywhere in this recipe either. The chicken gets pounded to about a quarter inch first, in a Ziploc bag or between two sheets of plastic wrap, and if you are starting from one large breast rather than two small ones, cut it diagonally into two equal halves before you pound it. Press the panko onto the cutlet rather than just laying it on. That pressing is the actual secret to a crust that stays put.

The Sauce and the Cheese Are Not What You Expect

The tomato sauce here is three quarters of a cup of our own Classic Italian Marinara, not a jar. Nothing against Rao or any of the good store-bought tomato sauce out there, but the marinara is a separate recipe you can make ahead and keep in the fridge, and that is what turns this into a weeknight sandwich rather than a project. If you are short, passata works at the same quantity but runs thinner, and crushed San Marzano tomatoes work if you simmer them down briefly first.

There is not a slice of mozzarella cheese in this sandwich. It is two thirds of a cup of shredded part-skim mozzarella, plus 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, and shredded is the point: it melts evenly in the minute or two it spends under the broiler, where a slice sits there and slides. Whole-milk mozzarella is richer if you want it, and provolone melts much the same way. For a parmesan sub, Pecorino Romano is saltier so use slightly less, and Grana Padano is milder and easier on the budget. The one genuinely unorthodox thing on top of the chicken is 2 tablespoons of sour cream, which goes on with the marinara before the cheese. It is my addition and not a classic chicken parm move, and full-fat plain yogurt or creme fraiche both stand in for it. There is no pesto in here, and the bread gets olive oil rather than butter.

Two Trips Under the Broiler

The broiler does the work twice, and both trips are short. The first is the topped chicken, still on its wire rack: marinara, sour cream, mozzarella and Parmesan go on, the tray goes back on the top-most rack, and it needs 1 to 2 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and light golden brown. The second is the bread. Slice the ciabatta in half, drizzle each cut side with olive oil, and broil for 1.5 to 3 minutes until golden. Nothing in this recipe spends longer than 2-3 minutes under a broiler, so this is not the moment to walk away.

Note what the baking sheet is lined with: a wire rack, not foil. The air moving underneath is what keeps the bottom of the cutlet crisp while the top browns, and it is the same reason the leftovers get reheated on a rack rather than flat on a tray. If you are baking the chicken instead of frying it, that is 450 F on the top-most rack for 12 to 15 minutes, turned once at the 7 minute mark, with the broiler on for the final minute. Shallow-frying is 1 to 2 cups of oil at about half an inch deep, on medium, 4 minutes a side.

What Is in One Chicken Parm Sandwich

The recipe card makes 4 sandwiches, and one of them is 445 calories, with 28 g of protein, 45 g of carbs, 16 g of fat, 3 g of fiber, 6 g of sugar and 875 mg of sodium. Prep is 25 minutes, the cook time is 10, so 35 minutes in total. Most of the sodium is in the bread, the Parmesan and the marinara rather than in anything added to the chicken, which only gets salt and pepper in the flour.