What is Chicken Parmigiana?

Is Chicken Parmesan and Chicken Parmigiana the Same Thing?

They sure are! This Italian-American dish arrived in Plainfield-area kitchens in the 1960s. In Italy, a dish called melanzane alla parmigiana has existed for a long time. It’s fried slices of eggplant layered with tomato sauce and cheese. The name is a bit of a misnomer, because it’s unlikely to have originated in Parma. Most likely, it morphed from the Italian word for louver—palmigiana—because of the way the slices of eggplant looked in the dish. When 20th century Italian immigrants were able to get low-priced chicken in the United States, they started breading and frying the cutlets and using the technique from melanzane alla parmigiana with mozzarella or provolone cheese to create chicken parmesan as Chicago diners know it. 

How to Pronounce Chicken Parmigiana

It’s easier to pronounce chicken parmigiana than you might think! First say “Parma,” like the city in Italy, then say, “John” and end with an “ah”. The accent is on John. Or, if you shorten it to “chicken parm,” your server will still know what you want. 

Get Great Chicken Parmesan in Chicago at Salerno’s Pizza! 

Naperville and Forest Park diners know that chicken parmesan in Chicago should come from Salerno’s Pizza! Our chicken parmesan features a lightly breaded, pan-fried chicken cutlet that we top with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. It comes with a side dish of pasta. In addition, you’ll also find eggplant parmesan and veal parmesan on our menu at all of our locations. We can even do large catered orders! Try our Chicken parm today!