Chicken Parmesan is a popular staple on many Italian themed restaurant menus. It generally consists of a breaded, boneless chicken breast that is topped with marinara sauce, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. The chicken is then baked until the cheese is a golden brown. The dish and the cheese are both named after the Parma region of Italy.
In recent years, the culinary trend of fusion has taken the restaurant industry by storm. Fusion cuisine typically combines elements of European and far eastern cultures. But Mexican and Italian dishes have also blended their unique cultures. Chicken Parmesan ala Mexican style is becoming a favorite at Mexican restaurants, mostly independent ones that have more leeway to create liberal interpretations of standard cuisine.
I work in an Italian restaurant where chef/owner Mark Adams makes a delectable Chicken Parmesan. I asked him about any Mexican versions that he has tried and he came up with a recipe that he tinkers with at home and sometimes at the restaurant.
The key to a Mexican version of Chicken Parmesan is to use authentic Mexican spices and ingredients. Moreover, the type of cheese used will be the difference maker for a first rate Mexican style Chicken Parmesan.
Mexican cheeses are gaining immense popularity throughout the USA as they are one of the most frequently used ingredients in Mexican cooking. Soft, white, part-skim Mexican cheese is sold under a variety of names and can now be readily found in supermarkets. Mexicans use a specific cheese that melts and is similar to the American Jack Cheese or Longhorn Cheddar.
Cotija Cheese is a firm, salty cheese, similar to a Feta cheese. It is used crumbled over soups, salads and beans. Cojita Anejo is another version of cojita that has been aged for a longer period of time and has more kick than its cousin. I recommend using the Anejo version for a Mexican style Chicken Parmesan.
The Mexican version is prepared like Italian chicken parmesan, but uses different ingredients to create an endemic Mexican flavor. While standard Chicken Parmesan is served over or with some type of pasta, Mexican Chicken Parmesan should be served over rice, preferably rice that has been soaked in a flavorful chicken stock before being par boiled.
INGREDIENTS:
6 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon cumin-up to a half teaspoon if you want some bite
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon grounded green chile powder
2 cups red chile sauce
1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
1 teaspoon oil
PREPARATION:
Mix the cornmeal, salt, cumin and the green chile powder together. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until small bubbles appear. Dip each piece of chicken in the cornmeal, then in the egg, and back in the cornmeal. It’s called the dry-wet-dry method of crusted a protein. Brown the chicken on both sides in the oil which takes about 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken pieces to a baking dish and top the chicken with the crumbled cojita cheese. Pour the chile sauce over the top, and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the chicken is cooked through. Thicker pieces may need a longer cooking time. The chicken must be cooked through and served at 165 degrees or above.
Serve each piece with some crumbled cotija on top.
The chicken breasts may be pounded into thinner pieces; pounding cuts down on the cook time.
The main thing to be concerned about is over cooking the chicken. Mexican or Italian, Chicken Parmesan must be served with moist breasts of chicken that have absorbed the wonderful flavors. I recommend marinating the breasts in, olive oil, lime juice, paprika, cilantro, and thyme.