Chicken Parma Rice Bowl (Aussie Chicken Parmigiana Bowl)

About This Recipe

Chicken parmigiana, universally called a 'parma' in Australia, is the single most ordered dish at pubs across the country, and this bowl turns the classic crumbed cutlet, napoli sauce and melted cheese combo into a faster weeknight format served over rice instead of chips. The chicken is still pounded thin and crumbed properly, since a soggy or thick cutlet ruins the dish regardless of what it's served over. The crumbed cutlet is shallow-fried until deeply golden and genuinely crisp, then topped with a simple napoli sauce and a generous layer of mozzarella melted under the broiler until bubbling. Served sliced over rice with the sauce pooling into the grains, it keeps the crunch-sauce-cheese balance that makes a parma a parma, just without the deep fryer and chips. It's built for a normal Tuesday night, the way Australians actually eat their beloved pub food at home rather than as a special-occasion restaurant order.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4chicken breasts(pounded thin)
• 1 cupall-purpose flour
• 2eggs(beaten)
• 1.5 cupsdried breadcrumbs
• 0.5 cupvegetable oil(for frying)
• 2 cupsnapoli or marinara sauce
• 1.5 cupsshredded mozzarella
• 2 cupscooked white rice
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.25 cupfresh basil(torn, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Pound the chicken

   Pound each chicken breast between plastic wrap to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Season with salt.

2. 2

   Set up a breading station

   Set up flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow dishes.

3. 3

   Bread the chicken

   Dredge each cutlet in flour, then egg, then press firmly into breadcrumbs to coat evenly.

   Press the breadcrumbs on firmly with your palm — a light dusting falls off in the pan and leaves patchy spots.

4. 4

   Fry

   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry cutlets 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through.

5. 5

   Sauce and cheese

   Transfer cutlets to a baking sheet, spoon napoli sauce over each, sprinkle with oregano, and top generously with mozzarella.

6. 6

   Broil

   Broil 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling with golden spots.

7. 7

   Assemble

   Slice the cutlets and lay over bowls of rice, spooning extra sauce over the top. Finish with torn basil.

Variations

• •

  Add a few slices of ham under the cheese for a 'parma with ham' variation common at Australian pubs.

• •

  Serve over chips instead of rice for the classic pub presentation.

• •

  Use chicken thighs instead of breast for a juicier, slightly richer cutlet.

Storage

Refrigerate components separately up to 3 days; reheat the crumbed chicken in a 375°F oven to keep it crisp rather than microwaving, which softens the crumb.

Frequently Asked Questions