Chicken Eggplant Parmesan marries two classic Italian‑American favorites into one comforting dish. Golden fried chicken cutlets are layered with a simple marinara, fried eggplant slices, Parmigiano Reggiano, and melted mozzarella. It’s perfect for nights when you can’t decide between eggplant or chicken parm — together they’re even better.
When I can’t decide, I combine!
If you ever struggle choosing between two dishes, combining them is a great solution — you get the best of both worlds.
That idea inspired this chicken eggplant parmesan. I’ve paired eggplant and chicken in other recipes before and knew they’d work beautifully together here. My taste‑testers agreed.
I lightly fried thin, butterflied chicken cutlets until golden, then did the same with the eggplant. I layered everything with a straightforward marinara, Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh mozzarella, and plenty of torn basil.
This recipe is also a great way to repurpose leftover Italian chicken cutlets.
How to make it
Each numbered step below corresponds with the process photos.
- Slice one large eggplant lengthwise into 1/4‑inch (or thinner) slices. Layer them in a colander and sprinkle salt between layers. Set the colander over a plate to catch the liquid that drains from the eggplant.
- After salting all the eggplant, place a plate and a few cans of tomatoes (or another weight) on top to press out water. Set aside for at least 1 hour.
- Butterfly about 2 pounds of chicken breast (roughly three breasts).
- Place the butterflied breasts between plastic wrap and pound with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until thin. Set aside.
- Make the marinara: heat 3 tablespoons extra‑virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium‑low, add five sliced garlic cloves and cook until golden. Add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper and cook 30 seconds more.
- Add two 28‑ounce cans of crushed plum tomatoes, bring to a simmer, season with salt to taste, and add two basil leaves. Simmer about 20 minutes, then remove from heat and keep covered to stay warm (or keep on very low heat).
- After at least one hour, wipe the eggplant with a damp towel to remove excess salt, pat dry, and set aside.
- Heat about 1/2 inch of olive or vegetable oil in a large heavy pan to roughly 360–370°F. While the oil heats, set up three stations: flour, beaten eggs, and a breadcrumb mixture (2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs mixed with 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano and 3 tablespoons minced flat‑leaf parsley). Season chicken with salt and pepper, dredge in 1/2 cup flour, dip in beaten eggs, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place breaded cutlets on a baking sheet until ready to fry.
- Fry the cutlets 3–4 minutes per side until golden, working in batches to avoid crowding. Drain on a wire rack or paper towel‑lined sheet and set aside.
- Use the same oil for the eggplant (skim any crumbs first). In a large bowl whisk together four eggs, 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, 3 tablespoons minced parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Pat eggplant slices dry, dredge in about 1 cup flour, dip in the egg mixture, then fry gently until golden (about 3–4 minutes per side). Drain on a rack or paper towels and repeat in batches.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and place the rack in the upper third. Prepare assembly ingredients: 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, 3 cups shredded mozzarella, about 4 cups marinara, and 10 torn basil leaves. Spoon a layer of sauce into a baking dish and arrange the chicken cutlets in a single layer. Spoon a few tablespoons of sauce on each cutlet.
- Sprinkle some Parmigiano and torn basil over the cutlets.
- Layer fried eggplant over the chicken, then add more sauce, Parmigiano, and basil. Add a second eggplant layer and top again with sauce, Parmigiano, and basil.
- Finish by evenly distributing the shredded mozzarella over each portion. Bake 7 minutes to warm through.
- Broil 1–2 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden — watch carefully to prevent burning. Remove from the oven and serve with extra marinara on the side. Leftover sauce is great for dipping bread. Enjoy!
Top tips
- Salt the eggplant. Salting draws out excess moisture and helps produce a tender, well‑fried eggplant. Salt for at least one hour, then remove the salt and dry thoroughly before dredging.
- Make the marinara. A homemade marinara is simple and bright; it’s worth the few extra minutes over a jarred sauce.
- Reuse the frying oil. You can fry both chicken and eggplant in the same oil. Skim out any crumbs with a slotted spoon before frying the eggplant for a cleaner result.
- Bake to preference. Baking on a wire rack yields a crisper cutlet, while arranging cutlets directly in sauce makes a saucier finished dish. Both are delicious — choose based on your preference.
More Italian‑American recipes you’ll love
Chicken eggplant parm may be a new favorite, but these classics are always crowd‑pleasers.
- Eggplant rollatini
- Chicken parmesan
- Sicilian‑style eggplant parmigiana
- Neapolitan eggplant parmesan
- Chicken Marsala
- Chicken piccata
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Chicken Eggplant Parmesan
by James Delmage
5 from 15 votes
Prep: 15
Cook: 1
salting time: 1
Total: 2 15
Servings: 6
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Golden fried chicken cutlets layered with marinara, fried eggplant, Parmigiano Reggiano, and mozzarella, baked until bubbly.
Ingredients
For the marinara sauce
- 5 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 28 ounce cans crushed plum tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
- salt to taste
- 2 basil leaves
For the chicken
- 2 cups olive or vegetable oil or enough to fill pan at least 1/2‑inch high
- 2 pounds chicken breast butterflied and pounded flat
- 1/2 cup flour for dredging
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons Italian flat‑leaf parsley minced
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano grated
For the eggplant
- 1 large eggplant sliced lengthwise 1/4‑inch or thinner, salted for 1+ hours
- 1 cup flour for dredging
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano grated
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons Italian flat‑leaf parsley minced
Assembly ingredients
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- 3 cups mozzarella shredded
- 4 cups marinara sauce from recipe above
- 10 basil leaves hand‑torn
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Instructions
Salt the eggplant
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Salt the eggplant slices and place them in a colander set over a plate. Press with a weighted plate or cans to help extract water. After at least 1 hour, wipe off salt with a damp towel or rinse, then pat dry before frying.
Make the marinara sauce
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Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium‑low, add sliced garlic and cook until golden.
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Add red pepper flakes, cook 30 seconds, then add crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
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Season with salt, add basil leaves, and simmer 20 minutes. Keep covered and warm or simmer very gently until needed.
Fry the chicken cutlets
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Heat 1/2 inch oil to 360–370°F. Combine breadcrumbs, Pecorino, and parsley in a bowl while oil heats.
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Pat chicken dry, season, dredge in flour, dip in egg, then coat with breadcrumbs. Arrange on a baking sheet for frying.
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Fry cutlets 3–4 minutes per side until golden. Drain on a rack or paper towels and set aside.
Fry the eggplant
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Skim any debris from the oil. In a bowl whisk eggs with Pecorino, pepper, and parsley. Use any leftover eggs from the chicken if available.
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Dredge eggplant in flour, dip in the egg mixture, let excess drip off, then fry until golden, about 3–4 minutes per side. Drain and repeat in batches.
Assemble and bake
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Preheat oven to 400°F and position the rack in the upper third.
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Spread sauce in the bottom of a baking dish, arrange chicken cutlets, spoon sauce over each, and sprinkle Parmigiano and torn basil.
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Layer eggplant over the chicken, add more sauce, cheese, and basil, add another eggplant layer and top again.
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Scatter mozzarella on top, bake 7 minutes to warm through, then broil 1–2 minutes until bubbly and golden. Remove immediately.
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Serve with extra sauce for dipping. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Notes
- Salting the eggplant is optional but recommended to remove excess water. After salting, rinse or wipe and dry thoroughly before dredging and frying.
- Drain fried items on a wire rack or paper towels and blot any excess oil before assembling.
- Extra marinara keeps up to 5 days in the fridge or can be frozen for up to 6 months.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 946kcal | Carbohydrates: 59.9g | Protein: 83.6g | Fat: 41.8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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