Chicken Parm Sandwich

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There is a timeless debate amongst food fans that no doubt you have all been involved in at some point. That is the question to the internal answer of “What is the best Sandwich out there?”. There are some major contenders to this crown however we here at Dinnertime Somewhere believe that the iconic Chicken Parm Sandwich may just lay claim to the throne

The Chicken Parm Sandwich really is the king of sandwiches, few can doubt that claim. Just by pure volume, decadence, and of course, flavor – it really is unchallenged. This is the kind of sandwich that you get from a deli when you’ve got a demonic hunger than needs to be satiated. When a simple Roast Beef or Chicken Salad sandwich just won’t cut it. Head straight for the biggest piece of breaded, fried Chicken, smothered in Marinara Sauce and Cheese then slap it into a bun

It is also the type of sandwich that you eat when you truly have no plans to be productive in the afternoons. Putting down the king of sandwiches during a lunch break either means you’ll be asleep at your desk within an hour, or on the flip side it may just be the energy you need to handle an afternoon of manual labor. This may be why it’s one of the tradies main ‘go-to’ lunch dishes

The key steps to making the perfect Chicken Parm Sandwich

The best Chicken Parm Sandwiches really come down to three critical factors. First, you need a beautifully moist piece of Chicken coated in a super crispy breading. Secondly, the Marinara Sauce needs to be a rich, deep sauce bursting with tomato flavor. Finally, you need a good bun that can hold up to the density of the Chicken Parm while remaining light and crunchy

Perfecting a Crispy, Moist Chicken Breast

Chicken Breast is a tougher cut to cook than the Thigh, as it tends to dry out when overcooked. This does make for a challenging cook when you are shallow frying it in very hot oil. The key is to ensure the Oil is hot (between 350 – 375 degrees) and to constantly monitor the internal temperature of the Chicken

Bring the Chicken out to rest when it’s a little bit below the desired final temperature, as it will continue to cook when resting. So once the internal temperature hits 145 – 150 degrees, stop cooking. It’ll rest up to a temperature of 160 degrees which is perfect

Secondly, when pounding out the Chicken Breast you do not want to pound it out too thin. The goal of pounding the Chicken is to even out the thickness across the entire breast. So you really only need to pound out the thicker part a little bit. If the Breast is too thin it will likely overcook

Creating a rich Marinara / Red Sauce

This is where all the flavor lies in a great Chicken Parm Sandwich recipe. The key here is patience. Slow cooking your Tomatoes so that they reduce and concentrate flavor is the key to success. Canned San Marzano Tomatoes are the one and only choice for making a delicious Sauce. These Tomatoes are packed full of flavor, they taste delicious!

You can check out our detailed Red Sauce recipe here for the full scoop

Good quality, crusty buns will ensure the Chicken Parms structural integrity remains intact

The type of bread that you chose for your Chicken Parm Sandwich is up to personal choice. The only requirement that we have for this recipe is that you choose a bun that is quite firm and crusty in texture. The density of the Chicken Parm will naturally have an impact on the bread, so grab some freshly baked French or Italian long rolls from your local supermarket or bakery that will be able to maintain structure during the cooking (and eating!) process

This recipe follows our Chicken Parmesan recipe and is a great use for any leftovers you may have had from that recipe. Regardless of whether you’ve navigated to this page from our Chicken Parm recipe, we’ve got the full details below on how to make this amazing sandwich. So, let’s get to it!

Chicken Parm Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 2 crusty French or Italian Rolls
• ½ cup Breadcrumbs
• 1 Egg
• ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
• ½ Red or Brown Onion, finely diced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, finely diced
• 400ml / 14 oz. Canned Tomatoes
• 1 tbsp. Tomato Paste
• 250 grams / 9 oz. Mozzarella Cheese, sliced
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 cup frying oil (eg: Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil)
• Salt
• Pepper
• ½ cup Red Wine (optional)
• 1 Parmesan Rind (optional)
  
  

Instructions

1. Begin by making the Marinara Sauce by heating the Olive Oil over medium heat in a medium sized saucepan. Add the Onions and fry for 3-4 minutes, then add the Garlic and cook for a further 1 minute
2. Add the Red Wine and continue cooking until the wine has reduced by ½ then add the Tomato Paste. Cook for a further 2 minutes then add the Canned Tomatoes
3. Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for approximately 1 hour until the sauce has significantly thickened in consistency. You want the sauce to be quite thick and chunky, so it will easily apply to the Chicken. Set aside to cool
   
   

Preparing the Chicken

4. Place your Chicken Breasts on a large cutting board or flat surface and carefully pound out the thick end with a rolling pin, or some other sturdy object. (we usually use a wine bottle!). You want the Chicken Breasts to be pounded out just a bit, so that they are the same thickness throughout. Be careful not to pound it out too thin
5. Create a breading station with three medium sized bowls, the first filled with All-Purpose Flour, 1 tbsp. of Salt, and 1 tsp. of Pepper. Crack the Egg in the second bowl and whisk well to create an Egg Wash. Place the Breadcrumbs along with 1 tsp. of Salt in the 3^rd bowl
6. Coat the Chicken well with the Flour. Dust off any excess flour then dip into the Egg Wash. Ensure the entire surface is coated, then place into the Breadcrumbs. Cover well with breadcrumbs then repeat for the second Chicken Breast. Note: it is best to do this just as the Oil is at temperature and ready to cook
   
   

Shallow frying the Chicken and finalizing the Chicken Parm Sandwich

7. Add the Frying Oil to a heavy based frying pan such as a Cast Iron Skillet. Heat the Oil over medium / high heat until the Oil temperature is between 350 – 375 degrees. Carefully place both pieces of Chicken into the Oil, being careful to not splash any Oil in the process
8. Fry for 4-5 minutes on one side, flip, and fry for a further 3-4 minutes until they are a golden-brown color, and the internal temperature of the Chicken is around 150 degrees. Remove from Oil and set aside on a wire rack. Immediately season with a generous amount of Salt
9. To prepare the Chicken Parm Sandwich, cut open the Bread Rolls lengthways so they are still slightly connected at one end. Cut the Chicken into large strips then place in the middle of the opened bread. Add a generous amount of Marinara Sauce, ensuring the full surface of the Chicken is Covered. Finally, add slices of Mozzarella, again ensuring the full surface is covered
10. Place the Sandwiches under the Broiler until the cheese has begun to melt and turn slightly dark. This should not take long depending on your Broiler, so keep a close eye on it! Remove from the Broiler, season with a pinch more Salt and serve immediately!
    
    

Note: Another method to make the Chicken Parm Sandwich is to broil the Chicken topped with sauce and Mozzarella separately to the bun. Once cooked, simply place the Chicken Parm in the bun and eat. This can help with potentially burning the buns

Happy Cooking!