Southern Fried Chicken Parmesan
Look closely and you will see the secret to this gooey chicken Parmesan. Instead of a thin chicken cutlet, we've thrown in a juicy ...
Southern Fried Chicken Parmesan
Total: 3 hr
Active: 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Level: Easy
Ingredients
- 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 part-skim mozzarella, sliced into 8 thick slices
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 8 fresh basil leaves
Directions
- Special equipment: a deep fry thermometer
- Whisk together the buttermilk, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a cooling rack. Add enough vegetable oil to a large Dutch oven or pot, fitted with a deep fry thermometer, so that it is filled a little less than halfway. Heat over medium heat until 350 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil. Whisk together the flour, Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, one piece at a time, letting the excess drip off and drop into the flour. Rotate and toss chicken in the flour until completely coated. Add the breaded chicken to the oil in batches of 2 to 3 pieces. Fry until light golden brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side, then remove to the prepared rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Top each piece of chicken with 2 tablespoons of the sauce, a slice of mozzarella and some Parmesan. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F, about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Heat the marinara in a small saucepan.
- Pour 1 1/2 cups warm marinara onto the bottom of a serving platter. Transfer the chicken to the platter. Serve with the pasta topped with the remaining sauce, a sprinkle of Parmesan and a basil leaf.
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen
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