Delia Smith Parmesan Chicken Recipe

This Delia Smith parmesan chicken recipe is from The Delia Collection: Chicken, and it is one of those recipes that sounds fancier than it actually is. Chicken joints get marinated in garlicky beaten egg for a few hours, then coated in a mix of Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and parsley before baking at 200°C until the crust goes deep golden and properly crisp.

I first made this Delia Smith parmesan chicken for a summer picnic because I needed something that tasted good cold, and the Parmesan crust stays crunchy even after a couple of hours in a container, which is more than you can say for most breaded chicken.

More Chicken Recipes:

• Chicken Tray Bake
• Roast Chicken
• Coronation Chicken

The Garlic Egg Marinade Is the Whole Trick

Most breaded chicken recipes dip the meat in egg just before coating, but this one marinates the chicken in crushed garlic and egg for at least four hours beforehand. The garlic soaks right into the meat during that time, so the flavour runs all the way through instead of just sitting on the surface under the crust.

I have tried shortening it to an hour when I was in a rush and the garlic barely registered. The full four hours is not optional if you want the chicken to taste of anything underneath that Parmesan shell.

Parmesan Chicken Ingredients

Use real Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it finely yourself, because the pre-grated tubs are too dry and do not melt into the crust the same way. Fresh breadcrumbs from a day-old loaf work much better than the dried ones in a packet.

• 1.6 kg (3 lb 8 oz) chicken, jointed into 8 pieces, or 8 thigh and leg portions
• 4 large cloves garlic, crushed
• 40g (1½ oz) Parmesan, finely grated
• 2 large eggs
• 50g (2 oz) butter
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 50g (2 oz) fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 heaped tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• Sea salt and freshly milled black pepper

How To Make Delia Smith Parmesan Chicken

1. Marinate the chicken: Lay the chicken pieces in a single layer in a roasting tin. Crush the garlic with a heaped teaspoon of sea salt in a mortar until you have a smooth paste, then beat this into the eggs with some pepper and pour the whole lot over the chicken. Cover with cling film (plastic wrap) and leave in a cool place for at least 4 hours, turning the pieces over halfway through.
2. Prepare the coating: Mix the grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, and a little seasoning together on a plate. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6).
3. Melt the fat: Put the butter and olive oil into the roasting tin and slide it into the oven to melt while it heats up.
4. Coat the chicken: Take one piece of chicken at a time, let the excess egg drip off, then press it into the crumb mixture on all sides, patting it on firmly so it sticks.
5. Bake: Take the tin out of the oven, lay the coated pieces in the hot fat, and bake on a high shelf for 20 minutes. Turn the pieces over, pour off any excess fat, then bake for another 20 minutes until the crust is deep golden and crisp.
6. Rest and serve: Drain on kitchen paper and let them cool for a few minutes. These are just as good cold as they are hot, which is what makes them perfect for picnics and packed lunches.

Hot or Cold?

Both, and that is the whole point of this recipe. Hot out of the oven the crust is shatteringly crisp and the inside is juicy from all that garlic egg marinade. Cold the next day, the crust firms up into something more like a savoury biscuit and the chicken tastes even more intensely garlicky than it did the night before.

I wrap each piece individually in foil for picnics, which stops the crust going soggy against other pieces. A simple green salad and some cherry tomatoes on the side is all you need.

Keeping It Crisp

The biggest mistake is crowding the tin, because steam from too many pieces softens the crust before it has time to set. Leave a good gap between each piece and make sure the butter and oil are properly hot before the chicken goes in, which gives the underside a head start on crisping.

Drain them on kitchen paper as soon as they come out and do not cover them with foil while they rest, because trapped steam is the enemy of a good crust. They keep in the fridge for 2 days, though I would not freeze them because the breadcrumbs go soggy when thawed.

Frequently Asked Questions

You Might Also Like:

• Chicken Cacciatore
• BBQ Chicken
• Chicken Chasseur

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 480 kcal
• Fat: 30g
• Carbohydrates: 10g
• Fibre: 1g
• Protein: 42g

Nutrition estimated per serving based on 4 servings.