Chicken Parmigiana (the 'Parma' or 'Parmi') is Australia's national pub dish — a crumbed chicken schnitzel topped with tomato sauce, melted ham, and a thick layer of melted cheese, served with chips and salad. Despite the Italian name, the Australian version with ham and cheese is uniquely Australian, found in every pub in the country.
Chicken Parmigiana is Australia's most iconic pub meal, but it is NOT Italian — the version with ham, cheese, and chips is uniquely Australian. The dish evolved from Italian-American chicken parmigiana (which is itself an adaptation of eggplant parmigiana), but in Australia it became a pub food institution: a crumbed chicken breast, topped with napoli sauce, a slice of ham, and a blanket of melted cheese, served with a side of hot chips and a small salad. Every Australian pub has 'Chicken Parma' on the menu; it is the subject of national debates (Parma vs Parmi) and the default choice for millions of Aussies. It is so embedded that it has its own national day (October 26).
A golden, crumbed chicken breast, the crust crisp, topped with a layer of red tomato sauce, a slice of pink ham, and a thick golden-brown blanket of melted cheese. Cut through all the layers; the chicken is juicy, the sauce tangy, the cheese stringy and rich. Chips on the side, a cold beer in hand. It is the most Australian pub meal there is.
The chicken is pounded thin, crumbed (flour-egg-breadcrumbs), and shallow-fried until golden. The toppings (sauce, ham, cheese) are added and the whole is grilled briefly until the cheese melts and bubbles. The key is the cheese — it must be a thick blanket, melted to a deep golden brown. The ham is optional in some versions but standard in Australia. The chips must be hot, crisp, and plentiful.
Variations
Some use beef instead of chicken; some add pineapple (controversial); some add chili; the cheese type varies.
On the Palate
Where Chicken Parmigiana sits in the Australian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 40 min active + 20 min waiting
- 15 min
Pound 4 chicken breasts to 1 cm thickness.
- 22 min
Season with salt and pepper.
- 35 min
Dredge each in flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs.
- 46 min
Shallow-fry in oil over medium heat 3 minutes per side until golden.
Watch outShallow-fry the crumbed chicken to golden and crisp before it's topped — a pale, soft crumb goes soggy once the sauce and cheese sit on it.
- 52 min
Place on a baking tray.
- 63 min
Top each with 2 tbsp tomato sauce (napoli), 1 slice ham, and a thick layer of grated cheese.
- 74 min
Grill under high heat 3-4 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
Watch outGrill just until the cheese melts into a bubbling deep-gold blanket — pull it pale and gluey, or leave it and the edges scorch.
- 81 min
Serve with hot chips and a side salad.
