My husband has a mixed heritage. He has some French blood, some Irish, and some Italian. But his stomach I assure you is 100% Italian. If we had it every night he would be fine. I feel the same way about southern food. Is it fried? Then I’m in. This recipe is the best of both of our culinary worlds. I get to fry things up in my cast iron skillet, and my carnivore gets his Italian food fix. Not to mention it is super easy.
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Chicken and Eggplant Spaghetti
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Southern comfort meets Italian pasta in this hearty dish. Crispy chicken and eggplant are layered over spaghetti in a rich red sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 1 eggplant
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1 tbsp italian seasoning
- salt & pepper
- 1.5 jars red sauce
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups (473 ml) shredded mozzarella
- 1 box spaghetti
Instructions
- Start salted water to boil for pasta and cook spaghetti according to package directions.
- Skin and slice an eggplant.
- Salt and pepper the eggplant slices and chicken breasts.
- Get out two deep skillets, preferably cast iron.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to each skillet.
- Heat the skillets over medium heat.
- Beat eggs in a shallow dish.
- Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasonings in a separate shallow dish.
- Dip eggplant slices in the beaten egg, then the breadcrumb mixture, and add to one skillet.
- Repeat with the chicken breasts in the other skillet.
- Brown the eggplant and chicken on both sides.
- Add red sauce to each skillet.
- Top each chicken breast and eggplant slice with mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the skillets and let the cheese melt.
- Drain the pasta and toss with olive oil.
- Salt and pepper the pasta as desired.
- Serve the eggplant or chicken over the pasta.
- Top with more grated parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- For extra crispy eggplant and chicken, preheat your oven to 200°F (93°C) and keep the cooked items warm in it after browning.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, substitute the chicken with firm tofu, pressed and cubed, and follow the same breading and cooking instructions.
- Leftovers can be stored separately (chicken/eggplant and pasta) in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-Frying
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 150
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I salt the eggplant before cooking it for this spaghetti?
Salting and letting the eggplant sit for 20 to 30 minutes draws out moisture and can reduce any bitterness. Pat it dry before adding it to the pan so it browns rather than steams.
Can I use bone-in chicken instead of boneless for this dish?
Boneless chicken is much easier to combine with spaghetti and eggplant. If you use bone-in pieces, cook them separately, let them cool, and pull the meat off the bone before adding it to the sauce. 
How do I keep the eggplant from absorbing too much oil when cooking?
Make sure the pan and oil are hot before adding the eggplant. Adding eggplant to a cool pan causes it to absorb oil like a sponge, while hot oil quickly seals the exterior.
