Southern Fried Chicken Parmesan
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 1100
- Total Fat
- 78
- Saturated Fat
- 12
- Carbohydrates
- 62
- Dietary Fiber
- 3
- Sugar
- 5
- Protein
- 38
- Cholesterol
- 139
- Sodium
- 907
- Total: 3 hr (includes marinating time)
- Active: 40 min
Ingredients
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
Vegetable oil, for frying
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
One 32-ounce jar marinara
One 8-ounce piece part-skim mozzarella, sliced into 8 thick slices
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
8 ounces spaghetti
8 fresh basil leaves
Directions
Special equipment:
a deep fry thermometer- Whisk together the buttermilk, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a cooling rack. Add enough vegetable oil to a large Dutch oven or pot, fitted with a deep fry thermometer, so that it is filled a little less than halfway. Heat over medium heat until 350 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil. Whisk together the flour, Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, one piece at a time, letting the excess drip off and drop into the flour. Rotate and toss chicken in the flour until completely coated. Add the breaded chicken to the oil in batches of 2 to 3 pieces. Fry until light golden brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side, then remove to the prepared rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Top each piece of chicken with 2 tablespoons of the sauce, a slice of mozzarella and some Parmesan. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F, about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Heat the marinara in a small saucepan.
- Pour 1 1/2 cups warm marinara onto the bottom of a serving platter. Transfer the chicken to the platter. Serve with the pasta topped with the remaining sauce, a sprinkle of Parmesan and a basil leaf.