Aussie classic - Chicken Parma Gluten Free; Episode 3.4

You would be hard pressed to find a pub in Australia that doesn't have a "chicken parma" on the menu. Chicken Parmagiana is a meal adapted from the traditional  melanzane alla parmigiana which is breaded eggplant served with tomato and cheese topping.

Chicken parma is a quick meal that is easily cooked up fresh after work for dinner. Often served with chips and salad, it makes a meal that suits everyone in the family.

For a gluten free version, I tried many different forms of GF breadcrumbs, commercially bought, and homemade. None gave the crunch that that panko crumbs provides. There are some gluten free panko crumbs available, but they are not easily sourced. It wasn't until I tried polenta as the crumb coating that I found the perfect substitute.

Polenta is a corn meal. Often it is mixed with water, butter and cheese and served as an accompaniment to stews, or allowed to go firm and fried. In this case however, we use the polenta dry. It forms a crisp coating that keeps the chicken fillet moist inside. There is no restrictions as to the flavours you can add to the polenta crust. I generally use dried mixed herbs, but also add chilli or grated parmesan to make a more interesting crust.

The tomato base is an important ingredient in this recipe. I use my homemade tomato sauce as it has a depth of flavour with the spices added during the cooking. It is available in my on-line shop by clicking here. Alternatively you can use a commercially bought passatta or sugo. Tomato paste is too intense in flavour and acidity to use in this case.

The addition of ham on top of the tomato base is one filled with controversy. Many pubs leave this out. The choice is yours.

The cheese needs to be one that melts and browns well. Parmesan is often used. I prefer Jarlsberg cheese because it browns well and has a low salt content. Again use a cheese that suits your family preferences.

To see my YouTube video on how to make Chicken parma, click link below.

Recipe
Serves: 2

1/2 cup polenta
1 tbl dried mixed herbs
3 slices Jarlsberg cheese
4 tbl tomato sugo/sauce
2 chicken breasts
2 slices ham

1 egg

Preheat oven to 180°Cfan/200°C. .

Using a meat mallet, flatten out the chicken breasts to ensure evenness of cooking.
Lightly beat egg in a medium sized bowl.
Combine polenta and herbs together. Place on a plate.

Dip chicken breast in egg until well covered. Place breast onto plate with polenta. Coat both sides, pressing down on the polenta to ensure it is stuck well.
In a hot frypan, and a splash of olive oil. Gently fry each fillet for 2-3 minutes each side until crust is lightly golden. Place fillet on on oven tray. Spread each fillet with half the tomato sauce. Place a slice of ham on each fillet. Add a slice of cheese to the top.

Bake in oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Updated April 2023