My name is Michael Chiara and I became interested in cooking during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the quarantine, I decided to take up a new hobby and the result of that hobby lead me to find this dish. I first learned of this dish during the 2020 summer as I worked as a bartender, but it was not until the quarantine period where I decided to learn to make it. This Mozzarella-Stuffed Chicken Parmesan is an Italian dish introduced to me at work, but it was not until the quarantine that I decided to make it. It’s an improvement upon the classic chicken parm, but it allows for even more cheese. This was the first Italian dish I made during the quarantine, so it holds a special place in my mind as a place where I started my cooking hobby.
Facts About the Detroit Food Community:
- Feeding America projected that food insecurity could increase 5% in southeast Michigan during the pandemic.
- 30,000 Detroiters do not have access to a full-line grocer (2018)
- Michigan has experienced a 600,000 increase in residents facing food insecurity
Detroit Groups Helping the Community:
- The Detroit Food Policy Council focuses on the continued effort of urban agriculture with providing residents with tools to produce their own food.
- The P.B.J. Outreach was launched in 2002 and continues to support Detroit residents at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Third in the Cass Corridor.
Serves: Four
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
- Olive oil (for frying)
- 2 cups marinara
- ¼ cup thinly sliced basil
- 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 425°. Cut into each chicken breast and stuff the pockets with mozzarella, then press the edges to seal the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Put the flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs into three separate shallow bowls. Into the panko breadcrumbs, whisk in garlic powder, dried oregano, ¼ cup Parmesan, and ½ teaspoon salt.
3. Dip the chicken into the flour, shake off excess flour, and then dip into the egg, tossing it to coat. Then dredge the chicken in the breadcrumbs. Make sure the chicken is fully and evenly coated.
4. With a large skillet over medium heat, heat a thin layer of olive oil. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until both sides are golden (about 4 minutes per side). Then pour Marinara around the chicken and scatter basil on top. Then turn off the heat, sprinkle parmesan on top of the chicken.
5. Move the skillet to the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked for about 20 minutes.
6. Once the chicken is cooked, garnish the chicken with parsley and serve.