FOOD
Chicken & Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna
How do you make 3 meals in one? By incorporating chicken and eggplant Parmesan into a thick, hearty lasagna.
FOOD
Chicken & Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna
How do you make 3 meals in one? By incorporating chicken and eggplant Parmesan into a thick, hearty lasagna.
Ingredients
- 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- 8 large eggs
- 4 cups Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
- 6 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
- 1 large Italian globe eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (12 to 16 slices)
- 4 cups store-bought tomato sauce
- 14 no-boil lasagna noodles
- 1 pound grated 4-cheese blend (mozzarella, provolone, Asiago, fontina)
- 1/2 cup small basil leaves
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
Steps
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a large, nonstick frying pan over medium heat, add 1 cup of oil.
- In a large, shallow mixing bowl, whisk the eggs.
- In a separate large, shallow mixing bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and ground fennel.
- Dredge each of the chicken cutlets in the egg, allowing any excess to drip off before placing each into the seasoned breadcrumbs to coat on both sides.
- In batches, fry the chicken cutlets for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Remove to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and continue frying the second batch until complete. Turn off the heat.
- Carefully clean out the oil and any breadcrumb “sludge.”
- Add the remaining 1 cup of oil into the cleaned pan and place over medium heat.
- Dredge the eggplant slices in the egg, once again allowing any excess to drip off before dredging in breadcrumbs to completely coat both sides.
- Shake off excess breadcrumbs and fry in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.
- In a 9x13-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup of tomato sauce onto the bottom of the pan. Lay 4 lasagna noodles on top to cover.
- Arrange all of the fried, breaded chicken cutlets in a single layer on top of the noodles.
- Top with some tomato sauce, Italian cheese blend and basil leaves.
- Top with 6 lasagna noodles (in an opposite pattern from the bottom layer).
- Evenly spread the ricotta on the noodles.
- Top with tomato sauce, and place the remaining 4 lasagna noodles on top in a single layer.
- Arrange all of the breaded, fried eggplant in a single layer on top of the noodles.
- Top with sauce, cheese and basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the lasagna noodles are fully cooked.
- Remove from the oven. Cool for 20 minutes before serving.