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4 servings Dinner Italian-American

Chicken Parm with Roasted Eggplant

Panko-parmesan chicken cutlets and roasted eggplant under blistered mozzarella, with the sauce kept under the crust so it stays crisp.

Ingredients

  • 2 large chicken breasts, halved horizontally into 4 cutlets
  • 1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan (for breading)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cups jarred marinara or tomato-basil sauce (about 3/4 of a 24 oz jar)
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 6 oz low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan (for topping)
  • 10 fresh basil leaves

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 425°F. Lay eggplant on a towel, salt both sides lightly (from the kosher salt). Rest 15 minutes, then blot dry hard.
  2. Set up three shallow dishes: flour with garlic powder and half the black pepper; beaten eggs; panko mixed with parmesan and oregano. Season chicken with remaining salt and pepper.
  3. Dredge chicken in flour (shake off excess), then egg (let drip), then press firmly into the panko-parm so it adheres. Set on a rack, mist both sides with oil.
  4. Toss blotted eggplant with 1 tbsp olive oil, spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes, flipping at 12.
  5. While eggplant roasts: air fry cutlets at 400°F for 12 minutes, flipping at 6, until 165°F internal (thicker cutlets need 14-15). Single layer only.
  6. Same window: heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium, add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, cook 60 seconds until fragrant. Pour in marinara, simmer uncovered until slightly thickened. Tear in half the basil. Taste before adding any salt.
  7. Switch oven to broil. Spread most of the sauce in a baking dish, lay in cutlets, top each with eggplant, a spoonful of sauce, then mozzarella and parmesan. Broil 3-4 minutes until cheese blisters — watch closely, broilers vary.
  8. Rest 5 minutes so cheese sets, then scatter remaining basil.

Nutrition

Per serving — 1/4 of recipe.

600 calories Calories
55 g Protein
33 g Carbs
28 g Fat
1500 mg Sodium

Notes

  • Eggplant cut direction doesn't matter — long planks drape over a cutlet better than rounds.
  • Jarred sauce: taste before adding salt, most jars run 450-550mg sodium per half cup.
  • Sauce goes under and between cutlets, not over the top, to preserve crust crunch.
  • Macros are approximate and come from the original write-up, not from weighing. Sodium in particular swings with the jar of sauce you use.

Import to Cronometer

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https://simmonsbrian.com/recipes/chicken-parm-roasted-eggplant/

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