Chicken Parmigiano with Crispy Prosciutto
Courtesy Michael Ferraro, partner/executive chef, Delicatessen, New York City
On the border of the SoHo and Little Italy neighborhoods of New York City, Chef Michael Ferraro’s Delicatessen serves upscale comfort food. Although he honed his craft under some of the city’s finest chefs, Ferraro turns to his parents’ southern Italian roots for his version of chicken Parmigiano. The addition of crispy prosciutto turns this classic into a pork lover’s dream dish.
- 4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
- Olive oil, for frying
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fine-ground black pepper
- 4 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin
- 4 eggs, whisked with 2 tablespoons water
- 1 ½ cups panko
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- Marinara Sauce (see below)
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, grated
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
- Fresh basil leaves (for garnish)
Jump to our simple marinara sauce recipe.
In small skillet, warm ¼-inch-layer olive oil to 350˚F. Add prosciutto, and cook until crisp. Transfer to paper towels. Let drain until cool enough to handle. Crumble in food processor.
In deep frying pan, warm vegetable oil.
Combine flour, salt, pepper and ¼ cup crumbled prosciutto in flat dish. Dredge chicken cutlets in flour mixture, followed by eggs and panko breadcrumbs. Fry each cutlet, turning once, until internal temperature is 165˚F, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Heat oven to 350˚F. Spread thin layer of marinara sauce in baking dish. Add chicken cutlets. Top with thin layer of sauce, followed by even layers of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake approximately 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and garnish with fresh basil and remaining prosciutto crumble. Serves 4.
Ferraro says that Ruffino 2013 Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico, “is the classic ‘old-school’ pairing, but it really works. The zesty notes of Sangiovese hold up to tomato sauce, while the spicier flavors of the wine are a nice counterpoint to melted mozzarella and fried prosciutto.”
For a big, rich, New World option, he likes Louis M. Martini 2015 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. “For an unusual pairing, I like to enjoy [it] with a California Cabernet Sauvignon,” he says. “The tannins are a nice foil to the fattiness of cheese and prosciutto, while it has strong enough acidity to counterbalance the tomato sauce.
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