Chuck Out The Chicken And Welcome In Fish For This Unique Parmesan Dish

Chicken parmesan is among many Italian American recipes to become massively popular in the United States, and while some believe chicken parm tastes better at a restaurant, it is undoubtedly one dish worth learning to make yourself. However, a chicken parmesan recipe can also work surprisingly well using alternative cuts of protein besides chicken breasts. While veal is a frequent choice for the job, fish lovers will be happy to know that tilapia is also a suitable substitute for chicken, and can actually upgrade the dish if made correctly.

Although tilapia is sometimes called "garbage fish" due, in part, to its incredibly inconsistent quality, the seafood staple can be truly revolutionary if you get your hands on safely and sustainably farmed tilapia. Luca Corazzina, chef de cuisine at Olio e Più in Chicago, said that tilapia is arguably the most similar to chicken of any fish on the market. "Tilapia is mild, flat, and evenly shaped, which makes it ideal for layering in a parmigiana-style preparation," he said. Plus, considering tilapia is remarkably dense in nutrients like vitamin B12 and is often leaner than chicken breast, it's safe to say that the trade-off could be a massive upgrade if you want to enjoy a parmigiana-style dish while on a high-protein diet.

Despite the similarity in shape, preparing tilapia fillets and chicken breasts requires vastly different cooking techniques to achieve ideal results. The most notable are the temperature and cooking times. "Seafood cooks much more quickly, so you want to be careful not to overcook it," chef Luca Corazzina explained. "The goal is to warm everything through and melt the cheese while keeping the fish tender and delicate, rather than baking it as long as you would a thicker cut of meat." 

Overcooking is among the most common mistakes people make when cooking fish. To avoid this, bake your tilapia fillets in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for just 10 to 12 minutes, which should deliver consistent and reliable results. You can also pan-fry the tilapia fillet and use breadcrumbs to really maximize the crispiness. If you do go down this path, you can complement your parmesan-crusted tilapia by mixing Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika into your breadcrumbs to give them a major flavor boost. Alternatively, if you're a bigger fan of the tender texture of unbreaded chicken parmesan, that methodology is just as valid for the pescatarian dish. "It can be prepared fresh or lightly breaded, then layered with tomato sauce and mozzarella and baked, very similar to the classic method," Corazzina added.