How To Make Chicken & Aubergine Parmigiana

Step 2: Prepare the barbecue

If you have a charcoal barbecue light it thirty minutes before you plan to cook. It is ready when there are no more flames and the charcoal has turned white. If you are using a gas barbecue, light it up on high and leave it for twenty minutes.

Step 3: Turn on the oven grill.

Set the oven grill to the highest temperature to heat to bake the dish.

Step 4: Heat the oil, add the onion and garlic

Begin the tomato sauce by placing a large saucepan over a moderate heat. Add forty-five millimetres of olive oil. Next, add the onion and garlic.

While stirring with a wooden spoon, sweat the two ingredients until soft and add tomato purée. Mix together.

Now introduce the tinned tomatoes, breaking them up while mixing. Add chilli flakes, sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Now, add the thyme and stir well. If you don't like spicy food then leave out the chilli.

Let the sauce simmer for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.

Step 5: Season the chicken

Meanwhile, take both pieces of chicken and brush them with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat for other sides.

Step 6: Season the aubergine

Generously brush the aubergines with oil and season with salt and pepper. Repeat for other sides.

Step 7: Finish the sauce

Return to the sauce and turn the heat off. Give it one further quick stir and using the hand blender, blend into a chunky purée. Do not forget to remove the thyme stalks.

Step 8: Barbecue the chicken and aubergine

Place both pieces of chicken onto the barbecue along with two slices of aubergine. Grill them for three to five minutes. Now, turn the chicken over followed by the aubergine and cook for a further three minutes. Remove when brown.

Add the remaining aubergine and grill for three to five minutes on the first side. Turn over, leave for another two to three minutes and remove.

Step 9: Combine the ingredients

Take the casserole dish and add two pieces of aubergine, one slice of chicken, a few slices of mozzarella, and cover with tomato sauce. Finally, add a sprinkling of chopped basil.

Repeat the above step, layering the aubergine, the chicken, the tomato sauce, and on top, the mozzarella. This time, leave the basil for now or it will burn in the oven.

TIP

VIDEOJUG TIP: To make it easier to serve, chop the chicken up into chunks before adding it to the casserole dish.

Step 10: Bake

Place the dish into the centre of the oven and bake for seven to ten minutes. When the mozzarella has melted and browned slightly, take the dish out of the oven.

Step 11: Garnish and serve

Garnish with the remaining basil and serve while baking hot. Try this dish with pasta, if you are feeling especially hungry.