Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan

Well, today marks the six month anniversary of the Great Lisle Flood of 2013. On the 18th of April, around 6:00 AM, the East Branch of the DuPage River topped the six foot levee and streamed into my neighborhood. After six months, half the homes on my side of the street are still unoccupied. 

Water streaming over the top of the levee.

The village won't allow many of these families to repair their home, and instead insist on elevation, which they can't afford and insurance won't cover. 

Water climbing up the 6 foot backyard fences

My housemates are in that situation and are looking to purchase a new home. They can neither reside in, sell, or repair the home they own, even though they had full flood insurance. They're trying to make the best of a very bad situation.

Well, I think I'll mark the anniversary with some comfort food. I was thinking of Chicken Parmesan. That goes quite well on a blustery, cold October day.

Is there anything more versatile than chicken? It can be fixed so many different ways. That’s probably why when ever anyone taste some strange meat, they say it tastes like chicken. Chicken tastes like so many things depending on how it is prepared.

Now you could use chicken breasts with this. I happen to be partial to chicken thighs. For that matter, you could also substitute thin boneless pork as well. If you do that, have no doubt, it will taste like chicken.

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

salt and pepper

2 cups flour

1 tbs. cajun seasoning

1/4 cup half and half

4 eggs

Olive oil

Norman’s Marinara Sauce (07-19-13 Post)

Basil

1 cup of grated parmesan

1 lb. shredded mozzarella

Preparation

Place the flour and cajun seasoning in a zipper bag. Whisk the half and half together with the eggs. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Shake it in the seasoned flour. Coat it with the egg mixture and  shake it again in the seasoned flour.

Heat a large cast iron skillet and add enough olive oil to make an eighth of an inch depth. Cook the chicken, in batches, on both sides until it is nicely browned. As the chicken is removed place it in a large baking dish or casserole pan. Sprinkle it with a little more cajun seasoning. Once the chicken is all cooked, cover the chicken with the marinara sauce and sprinkle it generously with basil. Top with the parmesan cheese and then the mozzarella cheese.

Bake the chicken at 380º until the cheese is browned and the sauce is bubbling. Allow the casserole to set up for about ten minutes before serving.

Serving

As long as you are using my marinara sauce, you might as well serve the chicken parmesan next to a big pile of Spaghetti Marinara. Cover both of them with an avalanche of grated parmesan cheese. Next, I would add some broccoli that has been sautéed in olive oil and white wine and hit that with grated parmesan too. 

I’m in the mood for Chianti, so you can serve that too. Don’t forget the soup to start the meal and, of course, fresh homemade bread, still warm from the oven.