Mexicali Chicken Parmesan
Mexicali Chicken has creamy avocado and crispy thin chicken cutlets atop spicy alfredo sauce pasta with tomatoes, chiles, and roasted poblano pepper. This is a Mexican-inspired chicken parmesan that is fun to make and a joy to serve. You control the heat, and this Mexican alfredo sauce recipe includes hot and mild variations.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 chicken cutlets ~1 lb
- ½ cup all-purpose flour for dredging
- 1 large whole egg
- 10 Ritz crackers crushed
- ½ cup plain Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese
- 2 pinches kosher salt
- 2 pinches fresh cracked pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 avocado pit and peel removed, sliced
- 4 slices pepperjack cheese
For the spaghetti
- 2 poblano peppers
- ½ lb spaghetti
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 pinch fresh cracked pepper
- 10 oz Rotel Original chopped tomato and green chilies drained reserving juice (*see Notes)
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ cup chopped green onion for garnish
Instructions
Roast the peppers
- Heat up the oven broiler on high.
- Put the peppers under the broiler, turning every couple minutes until charred and roasted (~15 minutes). Transfer to a ziploc bag to steam.
- Once peppers are cool enough to handle, remove skins and seeds, and chop into ~1/2 to 1-inch pieces and set aside.
Cook the chicken
- Put a large pot of water to come to a boil while cooking the chicken. Also heat the oven to 400°F.
- Set up a dredging station for the chicken cutlets: one dish with flour, one with egg wash (the egg beaten lightly with 2 tablespoons reserved Rotel juice), and one dish with the crackers, Panko crumbs, and parmesan cheese combined.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour (shaking off excess), then egg wash, then cracker mixture.
- Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook, flipping once, until golden. Remove the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet.
Make the pasta sauce
- Heat the butter and cream in a large skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook (~5 minutes), stirring often, until thickened.
- Add the shredded pepperjack cheese, drained Rotel tomatoes and green chiles, chopped roasted poblano pepper, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Also add 1-2 tablespoons reserved Rotel juice. Leave on the burner to stay warm, but keep heat at low or off. Stir occasionally.
Cook the pasta and finish the chicken
- Add the spaghetti to the pot of water to cook to al dente according to package directions.
- Put the chicken in the oven to finish cooking. The chicken is done when internal temperature reads 165°F with an instant-read thermometer. (This will take ~6-7 minutes, about the same time as the pasta does to cook.)
- Drain the pasta and put back in the pot. Add the spicy alfredo sauce and toss.
- To finish the chicken, top each cutlet with avocado slices, then a slice of pepper-jack cheese. Put under the oven broiler 1 minute or so until cheese melts.
- Serve chicken over pasta garnished with green onion.
Notes
The poblano peppers can be prepared a day in advance. Proceed with the directions, then once chopped, put in a ziploc bag or sealable container to store in the refrigerator until use.
Even with Mild Rotel, this dish has some kick. When I have made this with Original Rotel, it is quite spicy. So, for spicy you can either use Original Rotel or add cayenne pepper to the alfredo sauce to taste for more control.
Nutrition
Calories: 908kcal (45%) | Carbohydrates: 46g (15%) | Protein: 52g (104%) | Fat: 55g (85%) | Saturated Fat: 21g (131%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Cholesterol: 228mg (76%) | Sodium: 973mg (42%) | Potassium: 489mg (14%) | Fiber: 6g (25%) | Sugar: 5g (6%)
Calorie count is purely an estimate calculated using an online application to serve as a guide and not to be taken as accurate nutritional information. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let me know!