Chicken breasts "a la parmesan"
3 servings
40 minutes
Chicken breasts 'Parmesan style' is an exquisite European recipe inspired by classic Italian motifs. It features tender chicken fillet, thinly beaten and filled with a spicy cheese filling with herbs, fried to a golden crispy crust. Original Parmesan is replaced with lower-calorie yet aromatic cheese varieties, making the dish more accessible. The taste is rich and hearty with light spicy notes that create harmony between the juiciness of the chicken and the crispy crust. These breasts can be served with a fresh vegetable salad, a light sauce, or even on their own. It's an ideal option for those who want to enjoy rich flavors without extra calories.
1
Cut two large chicken breasts lengthwise (not all the way through!) and open them up. Gently pound them (it's good to do this by placing them in a plastic bag — clean, no splatter) both fairly thin but without holes — holes cannot be fixed, ruined forever; season with salt and pepper to taste on both sides. NOTE: by breast we mean half of the breast — that is, the side of the central bone. For cutting, place vertically on the board (wide part up, narrow part down; thick part on the right, thin part on the left), cut with a sharp knife from the thick part inward towards the thin one. Do not cut all the way through! And unfold it like a sheet of paper folded in half.
- Chicken fillet: 2 pieces
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
2
Grate the cheese on a fine grater. (The original recipe calls for parmesan, but it's so high in calories that it's better not to eat for a couple of days afterward. So we take any not very high-calorie cheese with a tangy taste — anything but Russian; at worst, cheddar. By the way, you can mix it half and half with brine cheese/feta — then take 75 g of cheese and 75 g of brine cheese.)
- Cheese: 150 g
- Feta cheese: 75 g
3
Finely chop the greens (depending on personal preferences: dill, cilantro, basil; can mix them). Mix the cheese with the greens. (Ideally, you could add about 50 grams of butter, but we are fighting calories and probably can't afford it!). Add spices.
- Green: 1 bunch
4
Place the filling in the center of the thinly pounded chicken breast and wrap it: if possible, like an envelope, if not, like a roll. Don't overdo it: the overlap (meat on meat) should not be more than 2 cm, otherwise the meat won't cook through. Secure with skewers, trimming the ends (leaving only 2-3 millimeters).
- Cheese: 150 g
- Feta cheese: 75 g
- Green: 1 bunch
5
Beat the eggs with a fork in a separate bowl. Also, pour flour and breadcrumbs into separate bowls. Now each prepared chicken breast should be dipped in egg, coated in flour, dipped again in egg, and then coated with breadcrumbs.
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces
- Wheat flour: 200 g
- Breadcrumbs: 200 g
6
Heat the pan, pour in vegetable oil, and when it's well heated, add the breaded chicken breasts. Fry on all sides until cooked (determined by the color of the breading: the main thing is not to burn it!) – about 3-5 minutes on each side. (There are 4 sides in total!)
- Olive oil: 3 tablespoons
7
We take a picture, let it cool for 7-10 minutes and serve with whatever you like. I like it plain!.. By the way, for a final farewell to calories - just remove the fried coating, you won't lose much flavor!