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When it comes to the ultimate plate of pasta, it’s no parm, no fowl. We could only be talking about chicken parmesan — which is all about textural interplay of crispy breading, gooey melted cheese, and satiny tomato sauce. Here at Tasting Table, we believe this dimensional combo is too good to be reserved for pasta night alone. Enter: Our hoagie-style chicken parmesan sandwich recipe. This sandwich is what happens when crispy, saucy chicken parmesan meets an Italian-style hoagie roll, and it’s the upgrade your old reliable chicken sandwich needs.
This fully-loaded sandwich adaptation trades the pasta of traditional chicken parmesan for the toothy chew of crusty bread. To make it, just hit your usual chicken cutlets with an allover coating of panko breading. Then, pan-fry ’em to golden brown perfection. This restaurant-worthy sando comes together on the stovetop. To assemble, layer that crispy cutlet with mozzarella and homemade tomato sauce on a toasted hoagie roll. The roll creates a more generous mouthfeel than the bite of a standard bun or sliced bread. Sometimes chicken sandwiches can get dry; this version dresses the chicken cutlets in enough moisture elements to stay moist. It’s crunchy, succulent, and hearty enough to serve as a standalone lunch.
The hoagie-style chicken parmesan sandwich is a fully-loaded masterpiece
The most hands-on prep step for this hoagie-style chicken parmesan sandwich is breading and frying the chicken cutlets. But the extra effort is well worth its payoff, and these sammies still come together in right around 30 minutes – including the assembly of a homemade tomato sauce. For even quicker prep, store-bought tomato sauce can also get the job done. Here at Tasting Table, Rao’s marinara sauce is our go-to for its well-balanced flavor profile and consistently luscious texture.
Foodies can customize the flavor profile by experimenting with other high-moisture cheeses beyond mozzarella. Try swapping in sharp white cheddar, nutty gouda, or pepper jack for a kick of spiciness. Pro tip: Shredded cheese melts more quickly than sliced cheese. A few minutes under your broiler will do the trick.
To complete the meal, serve this hoagie-style chicken parmesan sandwich with a side of creamy potato salad. The counterbalancing tang of this refreshing carrot slaw would also make a complementary side, as would these elevated lemon garlic green beans. Garnish each assembled sandwich with a pinch of freshly shredded basil leaves for a pop of color and herbaceous dimensionality. To play up that herbaceous element further, pair the meal with a chilled glass of vegetal sauvignon blanc. This wine offers enough zippy acidity to cut through the richness of the chicken and cheese.
