Italian-American · main

Chicken Parmesan with Melted Mozzarella

Chicken Parmesan with Melted Mozzarella reads umami 6.8, richness 6.0 and salinity 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 28 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.8 · Richness 6.0 · Salinity 4.9 · Herbaceous 3.7 · Allium 3.3 · Sweetness 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Sourness 2.2 · Nutty 2.2 · Floral 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Citrus 1.2 · Bitterness 1.2 · Fruity 1.1 · Earthy 1.0 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (14)

Time & effort: about 28 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 283 kcal, 17.1 g protein, 10.7 g fat, 29.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

  1. Halve each chicken breast horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets. Pound each between plastic wrap to an even 1/2-inch thickness, then season both sides with the salt and pepper.
  2. Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds. Pour in the marinara sauce, bring to a low simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes; remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
  4. Set up a dredging station: put the flour in one shallow dish, the beaten eggs in a second, and stir the panko with 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and the oregano in a third.
  5. Working one cutlet at a time, coat in flour and shake off the excess, dip in egg, then press firmly into the panko mixture to coat both sides.
  6. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pan-fry the cutlets in batches until deeply golden and crisp on the first side, 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook until golden and the chicken reaches 165 F at the thickest point, 3-4 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to drain briefly.
  7. Arrange the cutlets on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the marinara over the center of each cutlet, leaving the crisp edges exposed, then top with the mozzarella slices and the remaining Parmesan.
  8. Bake until the mozzarella is melted and lightly golden in spots and the chicken is heated through, 8-10 minutes.
  9. Warm the remaining marinara over low heat. Plate the cutlets over a pool of warm marinara, scatter with basil, and serve immediately.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.