'Simple' and 'easy' cooking method will guarantee 'perfect' chicken parmesan every time

What started out as a traditional Italian recipe has taken on a new life of its own as foodies continue to chop and change the way they cook up a chicken parmesan, also known as a chicken parmigiana.

Typically, it consists of a breaded chicken breast that's smothered in tomato sauce and mozzarella and Parmesan, and often people choose to add ham or bacon. According to these cooking enthusiasts on Reddit, there are a few simple tricks you can do to create the best version of the dish.

When one user asked the question, 'What would be the best and simplest way to cook a chicken Parmesan with cheese on top?' Others were quick to follow up with their best advice. With a few simple steps, they suggest the finishing touches to the dish can be done in a couple of minutes.

They advise using a chicken breast that is seasoned with salt and pepper, then "dredged" with flour, egg and breadcrumbs. After they say it's best to fry it, cover the top with tomato sauce, along with the Parmesan and low-moisture mozzarella.

After this, they suggest broiling it in the oven for a "couple of minutes". This means using a high heat to help crisp it up and quickly brown the cheese on top. Jokingly they wrote: "It is the most carby thing on the planet, so I like a salad with it. Boom Shakalak, dish is done!"

Another user chimed in to say they have the "laziest way" of cooking up their favourite Chicken Parmesan, using ready-made ingredients. An alternative method they suggest is buying a breaded chicken fillet and a ready-made pasta sauce, popping it in a dish with the sauce on top, adding the cheese and baking it all in the oven.

Other methods were suggested using the likes of an air fryer. They wrote that if using an air fryer, you can use boneless or skinless thighs after coating them with flour, egg and panko or breadcrumbs. Then once it's crispy, they suggest the moment you add a layer of sauce on top with the mozzarella, air fry further until the cheese has melted nicely.

Chiming in with their suggestion, one avid cook suggested that "while frying is the orthodox way", they chose to bake theirs entirely. Using a Shake-N-Bake type of coating and following along with the box instructions gives them the results they need; simply then adding their cheese in the last few minutes for finishing touches.

Typical ingredients for a chicken Parmesan include:

2 large, skinless chicken breasts, halved in the middle

2 eggs beaten

75g breadcrumb

75g grated parmesan

1 tbsp olive oil

2 crushed garlic cloves

Half a jar of passata (around 350 ml)

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp dried oregano