Kevin and I both enjoy this Italian classic; in fact, it’s a meal we make frequently. One of the questions we’re always asked is, how do you cook together? This dish is a perfect example of how we are able to pull off a vegetarian and carnivore meal without a lot of hassle. (Bonus: The next day, Kevin uses the leftovers for hoagies.)

Eggplant & Chicken Parm

1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
Italian herbs
fresh minced garlic or garlic powder
1 eggplant, sliced (you can also peel the eggplant if you don’t like the skin)
1 chicken breast (pounded thin)
Breadcrumbs
Flour
Shredded parmesan
Salt & pepper
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
Canola oil for frying
Angel hair pasta, cooked in salted water

First, put together a basic marinara sauce. I like to use a can of crushed tomatoes and add in some fresh herbs from the garden (such as oregano) and some fresh, chopped garlic or garlic powder. (If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even stir in a little red wine. You weren’t going to drink the whole bottle anyway, were you?) Add in olive oil and allow to simmer while you prepare the eggplant and chicken.

Fry the breaded chicken.

Heat canola oil in a frying pan. Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, mix together breadcrumbs and flour in a 1:1 ratio (if you’re off it’s not a big deal; I never measure this). Add in a little or a lot of parm to your liking and season with salt and pepper. In another, smaller bowl, beat together egg and milk. Using tongs, coat the eggplant slices in the egg mixture and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Fry on both sides until brown and drain on paper towels. After the eggplant finishes, repeat with the chicken (Kevin likes to double-dredge the chicken).

Put fried eggplant on paper towels to absorb some of the oil before transferring to a baking dish.

Next, put eggplant and chicken into separate baking dishes. Ladle marinara sauce over the top of the eggplant and chicken and sprinkle on additional shredded parm. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. About 10 minutes before serving, cook the pasta. Serve eggplant or chicken over pasta.