Chicken Parm with Fennel Salad

Make your fennel salad

Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, thinly slice your fennel bulb, keeping the fronds (the herby looking bits at the end). Place thinly sliced bulb into a bowl with a pinch of salt, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup parmesan, and a few pieces of the fronds and mix well. Set aside in fridge while you prepare the chicken.

Prep your dredging station

Place chicken breast into a ziploc bag and pound with a mallet or a rolling pin to about 1/4 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Set up 3 bowls. First bowl, add 2 eggs with 1 tbsp cold water and beat. Second bowl, add 1 cup flour, 1 tsp salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Third bowl, add 1 1/2 cups panko, 1/2 cup shredded parmesan, 2 tsp italian seasoning, 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper.

Cook your chicken

Heat a large frying over medium high heat with enough neutral oil to coat the bottom of the pan with 1/4 inch layer. Give it lots of time to heat up (at least 3 minutes).

Dredge chicken: drop pounded chicken into flour to coat, then into the egg to coat, then into the panko, pressing down to ensure the panko sticks.

One at a time fry the chicken on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Place chicken on a wire rack on a baking sheet, so it doesn't get soggy on the bottom.

Prepare your parm

Set your oven on high broil. To your chicken, add your marinara sauce leaving about 1/2 inch perimeter of chicken without sauce so you keep some of the crunchiness on the edges. Top with mozza then parm with the same perimeter. Broil for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with the fennel salad.