Like a few of my other recent Italian recipe posts (Bucatini all’Amatriciana and Spaghetti al Pomodoro), this one is super easy and super good. Unlike the other recipes, this wasn’t inspired by the time I spent in Italy. This one was inspired by a menu item at a local favorite restaurant. Restaurant 17 had a menu item titled and described below:

Southern Fried Chicken Padano

Radiatori Pasta, Eggplant, San Marzano Sugo, Black Garlic Balsamic

I didn’t have eggplant, black garlic or Radiatori pasta. So I just took the concept and made it much simpler and less fancy.

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Ingredients

Ingredients for San Marzano Sugo

• 1 28 oz whole canned San Marzano tomatoes
• 1-2 large basil stems with leaves, reserve a few leaves for garnish
• Olive oil
• 2 shallots, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, cut in half
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper flake (not traditional but we like a little heat)
• 1 package Rotini pasta, we used gluten free
• 1 loaf of crusty bread
• Salt and pepper

Ingredients for Fried Chicken Grana Padano

• 2-4 boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded thin
• 1-2 tbsp AP flour
• 1 egg
• Bread crumbs, I used a mixture Italian and Panko
• 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1-2 tbsp grated Grana Padano cheese, plus more for garnish (you can substitute Parmigiana or Pecorino)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil
• Canola oil

Instructions

How to make San Marzano Sugo

1. Heat a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt and cook the Rotini pasta a minute less than the instructions say to cook for al dente. Preserve 2 cups of the pasta water. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the same pot over medium heat and coat the bottom with olive oil.
3. Add the shallot and cook until translucent.
4. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flake and toss for a minute, don’t let it burn.
5. Add the canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushing them as you add. Add the basil leaves and the basil stems. Add a little of the preserved pasta water, stir to combine. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for at least 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
6. Meanwhile, heat a large grill pan over high heat. Slice the crusty bread. coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Char the bread to your liking. Alternately, you can cook under your ovens broiler.
7. Before serving, remove the basil stems and garlic, add pasta to the sauce and stir to combine.

How to make Fried Chicken Grana Padano

1. Make sure your chicken breasts are pounded thin, like 1/2 to 3/4 inch.
2. In a deep dish or mixing bowl, add the egg and whisk. Add a few tablespoons of water to create an egg wash.
3. Add the flour to a zip top bag. Add the chicken one at a time and shake to cover. Set aside.
4. Remove the flour from the zip top bag and add the bread crumbs, Italian seasonings, grana Padano cheese and salt and pepper.
5. One at a time add the chicken to the egg wash and coat. Then add to the zip top bag, again, shaking to coat. Set aside
6. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 50/50 olive oil and canola oil and heat until the oil is shimmering.
7. Pan fry the chicken until golden brown and delicious. If you are not ready to serve immediately, keep warm in the oven.