Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

I wanted to create a new stuffed mushroom recipe, but I didn't want the same old - same old stand-by recipes. I made chicken Parmesan (the usual way) and thought, "What about stuffing mushrooms with that?" So, I adapted the recipe a little and did just that. What do you think? Yes, there are mushrooms, the size of dessert plates, under that cheese! LOL 

4 portobello mushrooms, wiped clean
1 cooked boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks*
1 can tomato sauce

1 can stewed tomatoes, drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon basil

2 teaspoons Italian breadcrumbs

salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, or to your taste (we like cheese!)


Preheat oven to 375°F.
Scrape black gills out of mushrooms with a spoon and remove stems.
Place mushrooms on a foil lined baking sheet, stem sides up.
In a small pot, combine chicken breast with sauce, tomatoes, seasonings, breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Stir until well combined. Simmer until bubbling hot and thickened. Add more breadcrumbs if sauce is watery from the stewed tomatoes.** Spoon chicken mixture evenly on top of prepared mushrooms. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake mushrooms in preheated oven until tender and cheese is melted and a little browned, about 20 minutes.

*I used precooked chicken fajita strips cut into chunks.

** Mushrooms are watery themselves, so you need the sauce to be pretty think.

Chicken Parmesan

This recipe is as old as the hills. Some people will scoff at using mayonnaise, but it really helps to keep the chicken moist and tender. This is also a recipe that I think you have to be willing to get a little messy in the kitchen. I've never been able to do the "wet hand, dry hand" method of breading chicken, and believe me, when you've worked in a kitchen frying chicken by the 5 gallon bucket loads... you'll try every method available... So get in there and get your hands dirty! I like to prepare the chicken for the Chicken Parmesan this way, so it stays nice and juicy. 

4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking pan or large casserole dish with oil. In a flat dish, combine bread crumbs, cheese and seasonings. Place mayo on a plate. Coat the breasts with mayonnaise (I actually used my fingers), and then roll in the bread crumb mixture. Bake chicken for 25 minutes or until no longer pink inside.

To assemble and prepare the Parmesan you'll need:

Spaghetti Noodles

32 oz Spaghetti Sauce, make your own or use your favorite store brand
½ t Basil, dried
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 cups Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Cook spaghetti noodles in boiling salted water until done and put in a greased casserole dish. Combined sauce and spices and pour over noodles. Remove chicken from oven and place on top of the noodles and sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top of chicken then top with the Parmesan Cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Serve with a Caesar or Garden Salad and Garlic Bread.

Chicken Parmesan... a little healthier version

This is my "healthy" version of Chicken Parmesan. I baked the chicken instead of breading and frying.

4 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless
2 T Butter, melted 
32 oz Spaghetti Sauce, make your own or use your favorite store brand
½ t Basil, dried
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 cups Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Toss the chicken breasts in butter and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from oven and Layer in casserole dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese on top of chicken then add sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella and sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve over noodles with tossed salad and garlic bread.