How Expert Chef Nyesha Arrington Makes a World Class Chicken Parmesan - Plateworthy

Chef Nyesha Arrington makes classic chicken parmesan from start to finish, from making a fresh tomato sauce, to breaking down a whole chicken, to breading, frying, and topping with melted mozzarella. See the recipe in the first pinned comment below or on Eater.com (bit.ly/3dG4bwJ).
Credits:
Host/Producer: Nyesha Arrington
Director/Producer: McGraw Wolfman
Culinary Producer: Michele Figliuolo
Camera: McGraw Wolfman, Murilo Ferreira
Editor: Charlotte Carpenter
Executive Producer: Stephen Pelletteri
Development Producer: McGraw Wolfman
Coordinating Producer: Stefania Orrù
Audience Engagement: Daniel Geneen, Terri Ciccone
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0:00 Introduction
0:27 Begin making the sauce
6:54 Making homemade breadcrumbs
8:00 Breaking down the chicken
11:35 Dredging the chicken
13:20 Frying the breaded chicken
15:48 Plate and enjoy!

[@eater]

Nyesha Arrington's Classic Chicken Parmesan Recipe: Serves 2 Ingredients: For the sauce: 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil 1 medium yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 carrot, diced 5 garlic cloves, smashed 2 tablespoons tomato paste ½ cup white wine 2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes 2-4 bunches fresh basil 2-4 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves For the chicken: 1 whole chicken 16 ounces breadcrumbs (or one 16-ounce loaf Italian bread, if making from scratch) 16 ounces grapeseed oil 1½ cups all-purpose flour 7 eggs, lightly beaten 2-4 bunches fresh basil 2-4 sprigs fresh thyme 1-3 cloves garlic, smashed For finishing: 2 cups low-moisture mozzarella, shredded Parmesan, for garnish Flaky salt, for garnish Instructions: Step 1: First, make the sauce. Heat the grapeseed oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and golden. Add the garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, mixing to combine, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Deglaze the pan with about half of the white wine, then add the diced tomatoes. Rinse the tomato cans with the remaining wine, then add to the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Tie together the basil and thyme with butcher’s twine to create a bouquet garni, then add to the sauce along with the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the sauce and cook for 30-35 minutes. Remove from heat. Once slightly cooled, remove and discard the bouquet garni and bay leaves. Using a ladle, run the sauce in batches through a blender, a food processor, or a food mill set over a large bowl. After pureeing, return the sauce to the pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes, then taste and adjust seasonings. Set aside. Step 2: While the sauce is simmering, prep the chicken. Place the chicken on a plastic cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, slice out the wishbone, then slice off the tip of each chicken wing by cutting through the joint where the wing meets the drumette. Making a shallow cut along the breastbone and two deep cuts on either side, separate the breasts from the breastbone. Using the tip of the knife, slice each breast off the carcass, keeping the blade pressed against the bone. Cut through the cartilage to remove each breast, making sure to keep the wing attached. Separate thighs from breasts and save for another use. Trim any excess fat off each breast. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap, place the airline-cut chicken breasts on top, and cover with another piece of plastic wrap. Using a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin, pound the chicken flat, until each piece is about ½ -inch thick. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap and allow the chicken to air dry in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Step 3: While chicken is air drying, make the bread crumbs. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Tear the bread into small pieces and place on two baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. Working in batches, add the cooled breadcrumbs to the food processor and pulse until fine, making sure to sift out any large crumbs. Step 4: About 15 minutes before you want to start frying, add about 1½ inches grapeseed oil to a large cast-iron frying pan over medium heat and slowly heat to 350 degrees, using a candy thermometer attached to the side of the pan to measure temperature. Add the breadcrumbs, flour, and eggs to three shallow bowls or baking dishes. Season the chicken breasts liberally with salt, then dredge first in the flour, then the egg, then the flour again, then the egg again, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Set aside on a plate. Place the first breaded chicken breast skin side down in the hot oil, then very carefully add the basil, thyme, and garlic (they may splash). Fry the chicken breast for 3-5 minutes, basting frequently with the herb-infused oil, then flip over and fry the other side for another 3-5 minutes. Remove the chicken breast to a wire rack set over a baking sheet (to catch drips). Remove the fried garlic and herbs, setting aside the herbs for topping and discarding the garlic. Repeat with the remaining chicken breast. Step 5: Preheat the broiler to high. Place the fried chicken breasts on a lightly oiled baking sheet or shallow, broiler-proof baking dish. Spoon approximately 1 cup tomato sauce on top of each chicken breast (reserve the remaining tomato sauce for another use). Top each breast with about 1 cup shredded mozzarella, then broil for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is golden-brown in spots. Finish with the reserved fried herbs, grated parmesan, freshly ground black pepper, and flaky salt to taste. Serve immediately.

[@renzovelezthe2]

wouldnt this be bland? meat was barely salted? and dredge had no seasoning?

[@EHzNow]

Wow! That was amazing. But even an Ogre like me could share that dish with 3 other people if there was a little side of Couscous or something. Very nice.

[@fellermister6628]

This is a *very* generous portion of chicken parm! Give me!

[@smgdroid]

I love you

[@jkchen88]

She’s a greater presenter!! I love how she explains every step in detail. Bring her back on

[@rommsilwal8062]

She is back.:)

[@Kevin-kb8gj]

Good God, this woman is amazing. She makes excellent-looking food, is great at teaching the art of cooking, is funny, and insanely beautiful. Why does she not have her own cooking show???????

[@BeardedDanishViking]

Maybe she doesn't want one? Not everyone craves attention and "fame".

[@Kevin-kb8gj]

@@BeardedDanishViking thanks for clarifying that Nyesha !!

[@pr3ttyb0yfl4cko]

@@Kevin-kb8gj Bro you ask on your last sentence, you didn't even specify asking Nyesha. Expect a response especially you're in a public comment section.

[@REBELLIOUS513]

@@BeardedDanishViking shes a tv chef lol,how does she not want to be known or famous?..and shes more of a cooking competition chef ..shes on every cooking show on tv

[@amitzyraizy7774]

Chef nyesha sounds so calm and fun same time. Loved this video, so please more video with her plzzzzzzzzzz

[@LindsayDaly]

Damn she has some knife skills, deboned that thigh and made it look easy!

[@ericcutler5463]

One of the best instructional videos I have ever seen. Thank you!

[@aksmex2576]

Watching this while fasting for Ramadan. 😋😋😋

[@Mithrylon]

Neysha’s knife skills are as dazzling as her smiles.

[@aroundtheworldinaprildays]

All that work made me tired but nothing beats the taste of a home-cooked dish made with great effort.

[@philipferrato]

Brilliant reinvention of an Italian-American classic, but also two very useful techniques- a great way to make marinara sauce, and the chicken is perfect on its own (not sauced, no cheese) with a few lemon wedges. Food mills are underappreciated.

[@TheChefmike66]

I fell in love when you rinsed the tomato cans with white wine. Plus many other times.

[@giusepperesponte8077]

My grandmother is an Italian immigrant and I grew up eating very authentic Sicilian food, obviously no chicken Parm, spaghetti and meatballs, etc. Americanized Italian food was something we never ate, this video makes me wish we did sometimes because that food on the thumbnail look slap 😂

[@XsweetstarliteX]

Does Chef Nyesha have a youtube channel? She’s amazing!

[@recoil53]

She was on Top Chef, you can look for those episodes.

[@shanealexander4832]

@@recoil53 Did she win?

[@shanealexander4832]

She left amazing two potato rolls ago; she is the personification of awesomeness!

[@MrDewenBean]

Nyesha was on Top Chef. I was so upset when she was eliminated, was in my initial top 3

[@lout3921]

I find it to be the best version of chicken parm I've seen.

[@noc12345]

11:03 When your parents finally leave the house

[@Mateuszyk]

i love everything about her cooking

[@skrimper]

Yep, shes a natural. Great stuff!

[@SenyoreLovel]

love the detail im happy

[@Mob-es9jm]

I need to try this it looks so good!

[@TheKisforKing]

Bruh how many dishwashers will i need to fill by the end of this bomb ass recipe 😭

[@eulalawrence9018]

The sauce looks so nice

[@johnboyd7158]

What an amazing video! I picked up lots of ideas. I always use my leftover sourdough to make bread crumbs.

[@BigyanGautamphobic]

this is one of the greatest things I've seen in a while. kudos to chef Nyesha.

[@mazzarella_child567]

Nice! What a great demo. Yeeee! I love chicken parm.

[@faafafineartist]

DIVINE!! I need to make this!!

[@harmundcarakan201]

We want more from Chef Nyesha Arrington, Keep the good vids coming!

[@dickmajor1099]

She's so charming. I could watch her make any dish for any amount of running time...

[@WMARUoriginal]

Looks amazing!

[@UniqueCooking]

Wow 👏nice recipe👌

[@michaelpants]

I came for parm, and left with a free semester in CIA education. So informative. Awesome techniques.

[@eater]

Your diploma will arrive in 4-5 business days.

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

@@eater 🤣

[@myahmeade9092]

You made one of my top favorite foods chicken parm. I wish I could try yours it looks delicious.

[@baustinshaw2375]

Nyessha so dope! She is killing in the tournament of champions 2!

[@ageeksadventureswoohoo9213]

Omg this looks AWESOME!!!!!

[@edhc94]

that is probably the best looking chicken parm i have ever seen!

[@nicky0014]

I loved everything abt this video and shes amazing. Im starving help

[@davidruef7502]

excellent video!

[@suviyankee]

she's the real deal. love her technique and passion. you can see her experience shine through to the end!

[@wendyraymer8125]

Holy cow this was amazing!!!

[@jahweh]

Amazing educational vid this one

[@sigrholambda]

this looks amazing but also the most labor intensive way possible

[@joymae]

THIS MEAL IS SO GOOD

[@SuperJuiceman11]

In love with Chef Nyesha 😍. So charming, beautiful and knowledgeable

[@robertgriffin4118]

Shes adorable.Cooks with love, food looks amazing!!

[@beetlebsr]

great version of chicken parm, love the airline style.

[@jairo2695]

Isn't basil towards the beginning of cooking a big no no in sauce making? Shouldn't it be added at the end for a few minutes to avoid the bitter compounds from being extracted?

[@redeyezgenoc2346]

Not If it is cooked in under low cooking temperatur. Than it gets even more intense.

[@rossy83]

Fantastic!

[@jomangeee9180]

there is no way I am spending 3 hours to make chicken parm. That said, it was amazing to watch chef Nyesha in action she is amazing

[@passiveagressive4983]

Masterclass 👍

[@marksimon6275]

Beautifully done. Truly epic chicken parm

[@erikh8]

That has to easily be the best darn looking chicken parm ive ever seen myyyyy goddddddd

[@slicker-]

I'd like to see more of these vids with Nyesha. Solid and not too silly(an epidemic in cooking vids)

[@prettylady7980]

Love chef Nyesa!

[@soma1990]

She’s dope. Imma make this for my brother. Tip: I only cry cutting onions when I stand directly over them.. inch back no tears🤏🏿 🥲

[@deividalmeida8488]

Amazing chef, amazing person, perfect chicken parm

[@nacs]

Love watching Nyesha. Great personality, very knowledgeable and entertaining

[@pretzelsfan]

SO CHEFFY. i love it.

[@justinhumphrey9260]

(FYI)Cut around the core of the onion almost like a apple.u can still slice/dice the onion.as soon as u cut the ends it realeases oils which in turn burn your eyes more.

[@pocetnick]

actually never learned so much in a single video. that gal is awesome.

[@theblackbolt5514]

So cute so skilled 😍😍

[@dobbmob]

needs more parm personally!! i would love to see a version where parm is melted over the top in place of mozz, no mozz needed!

[@ddu22]

nice video! 😍

[@ChandraGuptaphd]

Very acidic sauce - all those canned and tube ingredients. Fresh tomatoes would make this same sauce very different. the chicken preparation steps are amazingly informative ! Thanks so much for this video share.

[@weasal97]

Sauce the bottom of it to keep the top crispy

[@sadfddsfful]

Pretty impressive and comprehensive breakdown. Great video.

[@BIX-18827DCM]

Eloquent, entertaining, fun.

[@gregmcneil9676]

Well done, you’re the best!

[@goldfruitco6841]

Nyesha needs her own channel. Beautiful Spirit.

[@rodaxel7165]

Yum..

[@andrew51723]

I’m gonna make this

[@jamesbayliss1617]

She's absolutely brilliant.

[@cyrilsomodio5234]

Im need that

[@allanpotocki5972]

WHen she holds that giant cutlet it kinda looks the US geographically, just upside down lol.

[@agodin2500]

Other than not knowing what saute or deglaze actually means , the dish looks really nice

[@benhatcher2603]

Sauté is just cooking in a pot or skillet with a little oil. Deglaze is typically done afterwards by adding a liquid to the pot to steam off the brown bits that are stuck to the bottom.

[@72langsky]

She’s one of my favorite ppl to watch on Eater along with the dude with the mustache and the dude that looks like Biff from back to the future

[@DanoLines]

THAT LOOKS SO EFFING GOOOOD!!!! Can yall pan over the finished product too, before she eats it haha???

[@naju332]

truly magnificent

[@TheMixxon2]

they still did their crowd noises xddd, I remember an episode on eater where they used those sounds and everyone in the comments hated it xdd

[@WelfareChrist]

I’m struggling to think of any other time I’d use a food mill to make it worth the kitchen space.

[@GuRReN1495]

I want this for my last meal with a side of fries

[@Will_JJHP]

More vids with Nyesha please!

[@Kmbluv]

"Now that we have the chicken pounded out, after pound time." -Okay I'm listening

[@amandakelly8423]

holy crap that's a uniform dice. love seeing Chef Nyesha, she's the best!!!!

[@spookyshark632]

It's nice to know that even experienced chefs cry while chopping onions.

[@sempetingaming]

Ayam geprek kekinian

[@somwongbulipsurt7901]

14:33 that music there sounded like it was LotR.....this be some Shire food.

[@sethsoderman2731]

She's awesome chef

[@mattwilson8298]

A beautiful chicken, a beautiful cast iron pan, a beautiful neutral oil, a beautiful breadcrumb coating, a beautiful sauce. Someone get this lady a thesaurus.

[@krs48]

That is pretty epic, the real deal

[@2wheelman]

try to make 2 pieces it will be much easier on you. i would add all my seasonings to the egg wash. the coating will keep in the flavor.

[@brucelee5576]

Everyone asking why she doesn't have a show , she's actually on all the damm shows. Arrington is world class chef.

[@chefhomeboyardee8]

Seriously epic chicken parm.

[@myahmeade9092]

Lol she said not because I'm bad and boujee. She funny.

[@manningmoore6034]

MOTIVATED BLACK WOMAN 🖤🖤

[@welookbetterdying]

Why is the tomato puree not mentioned in the recipe?

[@TheRustedShackleford]

This woman is amazingly entertaining!

[@user-mj8ml2vs5d]

I love Nyesha

[@CannonKaylaSam1]

I love this woman .

[@brandondam2314]

🤤

[@michaelmarshall2187]

She put her foot in that parm 🤣🤣👏🏿👏🏿

[@Eskay_OW]

I LOVE HER