About this Dish
Australia's most beloved pub meal — a chicken schnitzel topped with ham, tomato sugo and melted cheese, served with chips and salad. Every pub in Australia has a parma night. The debate over whether it should be called a parma, parmy or parmigiana is fierce and regional. Melbourne and Sydney disagree violently. Regardless of name, it is the definitive Australian pub experience and one of the most ordered dishes in the country.
IngredientsServes 1
🐔Chicken breasts, 2 large (about 250g each)
🥚Eggs, 2 large, beaten
🍞Panko breadcrumbs, 1½ cups
🌾Plain flour, ½ cup, seasoned with salt and pepper
🍅Passata (tomato puree), 1 cup
🧄Garlic, 2 cloves, minced
🥓Leg ham, 4 thin slices
🧀Mozzarella cheese, 1½ cups, grated
🫒Olive oil, for shallow frying
🌿Dried oregano, 1 teaspoon
Method
1
Butterfly each chicken breast by slicing horizontally almost all the way through, then open it out flat. Place between two sheets of baking paper and pound with a rolling pin until about 1cm thick — even thickness is key so it cooks uniformly.2
Set up a crumbing station: flour in one shallow bowl, beaten eggs in a second, and panko breadcrumbs in a third. Season the flour generously with salt and pepper. Coat each schnitzel in flour, shake off the excess, dip in egg, then press firmly into the breadcrumbs so they stick all over.3
Heat about 1cm of olive oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Shallow fry the schnitzels for 3–4 minutes each side until deep golden brown and cooked through, then transfer to a wire rack over a baking tray. Don't overcrowd the pan — cook in batches if needed.4
Preheat your oven grill to high. Meanwhile, warm the passata in a small saucepan over medium heat with the garlic and oregano, season with salt and pepper, and let it simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.5
Place the schnitzels on the baking tray and spoon a generous layer of sugo over each one, going right to the edges. Lay 2 slices of ham over the top, then pile on the grated mozzarella.6
Slide the tray under the grill for 4–5 minutes until the cheese is bubbling, melted and starting to get golden spots on top. Watch it closely — it can go from perfect to burnt quickly. Serve immediately with a big pile of hot chips and a simple dressed side salad.User Reviews
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