Classic Chicken Parmigiana (Parma)
Crispy crumbed chicken topped with Napoli sauce and melted cheese. Australia's beloved pub meal perfected at home.
The Story Behind This Recipe
My uncle's legendary pub recipe - Michael Romano
Ask any Australian what their favorite pub meal is, and nine times out of ten, the answer is "Parma." Not parmigiana. Not chicken parm. Parma. It's become so quintessentially Australian that many Aussies are genuinely surprised to learn it originated in Italy. We've made it ours - bigger serves, more cheese, always with chips and salad.
My uncle Tony ran a pub in Footscray, Melbourne's working-class heartland, from 1985 to 2010. His Parma Night every Wednesday became legendary. People would queue around the block for his plate-sized chicken Parmas, piled high with cheese and served with a mountain of chips. He learned the recipe from his Italian mother, but adapted it for Australian pub tastes - bigger, cheesier, more satisfying.
Uncle Tony's secret was the triple-crumb: flour, egg, breadcrumbs, repeat. "Two crumbs is amateur hour," he'd say, slapping another chicken breast between his palms. "Three crumbs is perfection." That thick, golden crust stayed crispy even under the sauce and cheese, and when you cut into it, there was that satisfying crunch before reaching the tender chicken inside.
The Great Parma Debate still rages: chips on top or on the side? Ham under the cheese or no ham at all? Mozzarella, cheddar, or a mix? Uncle Tony's answer was always, "Stop overthinking it and eat your bloody Parma." His version had ham, used both cheeses, and chips came on the side. It was perfect then, and it's perfect now.
Since Uncle Tony retired and the pub changed hands, dozens of people have tried to recreate his Parma. This is the recipe, written down by my aunt after 25 years of watching him make thousands of them. It's not fancy, it's not "authentic Italian," but it's authentically Australian - and that's what makes it perfect.
"Every recipe tells a story, and every story brings us closer to the heart of home."
Adjust Servings
Scaled Ingredients:
💡 Tip: Cooking times may need adjustment when scaling. Larger batches may take longer, smaller batches may cook faster.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
For the Topping
Pro Tips
- • The double-crumb is essential - don't skip the second coating. It's what makes pub-quality Parma at home.
- • Pounding the chicken to even thickness prevents dry edges and raw centers.
- • Use panko breadcrumbs for extra crunch - they stay crispier than regular breadcrumbs.
- • Don't drown the chicken in sauce - you want to taste the crispy coating.
- • Mix of mozzarella (for stretch) and cheddar (for flavor) is the Australian way.
- • For extra pub authenticity, serve with beer-battered chips and coleslaw.
- • Letting the crumbed chicken rest for 10 minutes helps the coating stick better.
Storage
Best served fresh. Leftovers keep refrigerated for 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 180°C for 15 minutes to keep the coating crispy - don't microwave or it goes soggy.
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap or baking paper. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound to an even 1.5cm thickness. Uncle Tony's rule was 'thick enough to stay juicy, thin enough to cook through.' Season both sides with salt and pepper.
8 minutes - 2
Set up your triple-crumbing station: Place flour in one shallow dish. Beaten eggs in a second dish. In a third dish, combine panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian herbs, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. This is the secret to that incredible crust.
- 3
First crumb: Coat each chicken breast in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, letting excess drip off. Press into breadcrumb mixture, coating thoroughly. Place on a plate.
- 4
Second crumb (Uncle Tony's trick): Dip the already-crumbed chicken back into the egg, then press into breadcrumbs again. This double layer creates an incredibly crispy crust that stays crunchy even under sauce and cheese. Let them rest for 10 minutes - this helps the coating stick.
10 minutes - 5
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. You want about 5mm of oil - enough to shallow fry but not deep fry.
- 6
Fry the chicken in batches if needed - don't overcrowd. Cook for 4-5 minutes on the first side without moving them. You want a deep golden crust. Flip carefully and cook another 4-5 minutes on the second side. They don't need to be fully cooked through - they'll finish in the oven.
10 minutes - 7
Transfer fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Place the chicken on a baking tray lined with baking paper. If using ham, lay a slice on top of each chicken breast now.
- 8
Spoon Napoli sauce generously over each piece of chicken - about 1/2 cup per breast. Uncle Tony's rule was 'sauce should cover the chicken but you should still see some crust around the edges.' Don't drown it.
- 9
Now for the cheese - this is where we go full Australian. Combine the mozzarella and tasty cheese, then pile it generously on top of each chicken breast. Finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Uncle Tony would say 'If you can still see sauce, you haven't used enough cheese.'
- 10
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbling. The edges should be slightly crispy and browned. If it's not golden enough, blast under the grill for 2-3 minutes - watch carefully!
20 minutes - 11
Remove from the oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes. This lets the cheese set slightly so it doesn't all slide off when you cut into it. Garnish with fresh basil.
3 minutes - 12
Serve immediately with chips and a simple salad (traditional pub style) or with spaghetti (more Italian-Australian). Uncle Tony always served his with a lemon wedge on the side - a squeeze of lemon cuts through the richness perfectly.
Ingredient Substitutions
Nutrition Information
Per serving (approximate)
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