Name: Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 3 Tbsp. Olive oil; 1 large Yellow onion, coarsely chopped; 6 cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped; 1/2 tsp. Red pepper flakes; 3 Red peppers; 3 28-oz. cans Crushed tomatoes; 3 Tbsp. Basil leaves; 2 Tbsp. Oregano leaves; 1 Tbsp. Fennel seed; Salt, freshly ground black pepper, honey, to taste; Bread crumbs; 1 Cup Cornstarch; Butter, for greasing the dish; 1 Tbsp. Thyme; 6 large Eggs, beaten; 1/4 Cups Milk; 2-3 medium Eggplants, peeled, cut into ½-inch-thick slices; 3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts, filleted then halved; Vegetable oil, for frying; 30 oz. Mozzarella, grated; 12 oz. Fontina, grated; 1 3/4 Cups Cup Parmesan, grated

Print Recipe

Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan

Author: Adam Moore Cooking Method: Baking, Roasting Cuisine: American, Italian Courses: Main Course Recipe Keys: Dairy Freezer Meals High Protein Make Ahead Non Vegetarian

Party / Entertaining

Difficulty: Advanced Prep Time 1.5 hr Cook Time 1.5 hr Total Time 3 hrs

Cooking Temp: 500 F Servings: 16 Calories: 520

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Description

Adam Moore's ambitious, restaurant-quality eggplant and chicken parmesan — a from-scratch roasted red pepper tomato sauce, hand-breaded chicken and eggplant fried to golden, then layered with three cheeses (mozzarella, fontina, and Parmesan) and baked. Freezer-friendly and well worth the effort for a special dinner.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 500°F. Place whole red peppers on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and roast for 45 minutes, turning once. Remove, cover, and let steam for 30 minutes, then peel, seed, and chop.
Heat olive oil in a large pot and sauté the onion. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking about 2 minutes, then add the roasted peppers and cook 1 minute more.
Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes, then purée in a blender and return to the pot.
Add basil, fennel seed, 1 Tbsp. oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook 10 more minutes, adding honey if needed to cut the acidity.
Combine bread crumbs in a shallow bowl with 1 Cup Parmesan, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, 1 Tbsp. thyme, 1 Tbsp. oregano, ½ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper.
Beat the eggs with ¼ Cup milk in a shallow dish. Place the remaining cornstarch in a plastic bag.
Set a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet. Coat half the eggplant in cornstarch by shaking in the bag, then dredge through the egg wash, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Place on the rack. Repeat for the remaining eggplant and the chicken.
Heat ½ inch of oil in a large pan. Fry the eggplant about 2 minutes per side, and cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 155°F.
Reduce oven to 300°F. Grease the bottom of two 9x13 baking dishes.
Cover the bottom of each dish with sauce, then add a layer of chicken. Cover with more sauce, then a layer of eggplant, then grated mozzarella, fontina, and Parmesan. Repeat the eggplant and cheese layers.
Bake at 300°F for 30 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted.
To freeze: let the dish cool completely before baking, cover with wax paper then foil, and freeze. To thaw, bake at 275°F for 2 hours.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 16

Amount Per Serving
Calories 520kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 30g47%
Saturated Fat 15g75%
Cholesterol 160mg54%
Sodium 780mg33%
Total Carbohydrate 24g8%
Dietary Fiber 4g16%
Sugars 8g
Protein 38g76%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Roasting the peppers at 500°F until charred, then steaming them covered for 30 minutes, makes the skins slip off easily and builds real depth into the sauce.

Use a cooling rack over a cookie sheet when breading the eggplant and chicken — it keeps the breading intact and prevents sogginess before fryin

Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan