Parmesan Chicken

Main:  Chicken Dish

It was Tita Ninang who taught this dish to us when they visited us in Singapore.  I have served this easy-peasy dish to guests numerous times and it always gets rave reviews.

Tita Ninang, Uncle Vlado and then toddler, Jacob.

Recipe (enough for four):

• in a sturdy plastic bag, place 3/4 cup flour, heaping teaspoon each of salt and paprika powder
• drop in the bag 16 pieces of chicken drumettes
• hold one end of the bag tightly and shake bag well so that the flour mixture will lightly coat all the chicken pieces. Set aside.
  
• thinly slice 2 big onions.  You need the touch of sweetness the onions will provide.
• shave 250 grams of parmesan cheese (grated parmesan in packs aren't that cheesy enough). Divide into 2/3 & 1/3 portions.

  

  I used a cabbage shaver (you can find this nifty
  gadget from Japanese dollar stores) to speed up
  the tedious process. You can also use a regular peeler.

• heat oil in a frying pan and brown the chicken.  Drain on paper towels set aside.  
  
• you can use the same pan for the next step.  Throw away the oil and rinse it well.  Wipe pan with paper towel.
• pre-heat oven 350 degrees
• melt a stick of butter in the pan
• caramelize onions, adding a little water or stock at a time so the onions won't burn.  Along the way, I add a teaspoon of chicken stock powder, a few splashes of tabasco and liquid seasoning.
  
• when the onions have caramelized properly, pour a cup of stock or water. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of paprika and the 2/3 portion of parmesan cheese.  Cook until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.  Stir constantly to spread out the cheese.
  
• distribute the drained chicken on your baking dish
• pour the onion/cheese sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese.
  
• cover the baking dish with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes
• when it's done, let it rest for 5 minutes before removing the tinfoil and enjoying the tender goodness of the chicken

  

  For carbo, we had steamed brown rice because generously drizzling
  the buttery/cheesy sauce over it is heavenly.
  To somehow counter-act the richness,
  we had vegetable pasta on the side.