Name: Chicken Parmigiana
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 4 chicken breast fillets, butterflied and pounded thin; 1 cup plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper; 2 eggs, beaten; 2 cups panko breadcrumbs; 1/2 cup grated parmesan; 1 tsp dried oregano; Oil for shallow frying; 1.5 cups passata (tomato puree); 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp dried basil; 1 tsp sugar; 200g mozzarella, sliced; Fresh basil leaves to garnish

A crumbed chicken schnitzel topped with rich tomato sauce and melted mozzarella — Australia's most ordered pub meal, debated with regional pride across every state.

The Cultural Story

The chicken parmigiana arrived in Australia via Italian-American immigration and landed so comfortably that Australians now consider it entirely their own. In Italy it is made with eggplant. In America it is a chicken sandwich. In Australia it is the undisputed centrepiece of the pub menu, served alongside a pile of chips and a cold schooner of beer. Every Australian pub claims to have the best parma — or parmi, depending on which state you are in (this debate is as heated as any football rivalry). Melbourne says parma. Sydney says parmi. Adelaide does not care but will fight you about the topping. In Queensland you occasionally see a "Hawaiian" variation with pineapple and ham, which the rest of the country regards with dignified silence. A proper pub parma is enormous. It overhangs the plate. The schnitzel beneath the sauce is audibly crispy. The cheese is fully melted, slightly caramelised at the edges, and there is more napolitana sauce than any dietitian would recommend. The chips are thick-cut, soft inside, and ordered with gravy on the side.

Ingredients

4 chicken breast fillets, butterflied and pounded thin
1 cup plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 tsp dried oregano
Oil for shallow frying
1.5 cups passata (tomato puree)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp sugar
200g mozzarella, sliced
Fresh basil leaves to garnish

Instructions

1Make napolitana sauce: fry garlic in olive oil 1 min, add passata, basil, sugar, salt. Simmer 15 min until thickened.
2Set up a crumbing station: flour on one plate, beaten eggs in a bowl, breadcrumbs mixed with parmesan and oregano on another plate.
3Coat chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, then press firmly into breadcrumbs.
4Shallow fry chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat, 3–4 min per side until golden and cooked through.
5Preheat oven grill to high. Place crumbed chicken schnitzels on a baking tray.
6Spoon generous napolitana sauce over each schnitzel.
7Layer mozzarella slices over the sauce.
8Grill for 3–4 minutes until cheese is bubbling, golden in spots, and irresistible.
9Serve immediately with thick-cut chips and a cold beer.

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