The Hawt Parmigiana w Scorch Honey

San Marzano red sauce built from scratch. A golden, parmesan-crusted chicken breast fried until it shatters. Melted mozzarella pulled over the top. All of it tucked into a toasted Italian roll — and finished with a drizzle of Scorch Honey that makes the whole thing sing. They asked for a homerun. This is it.

Ingredients

Serves 2

The Scratch Red Sauce

• 1 can (400g) San Marzano tomatoes, whole
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Small handful fresh basil
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt & black pepper to taste

The Chicken

• 2 large chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 100g Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 50g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt & black pepper
• Neutral oil for frying

The Build

• 2 Italian rolls, split and toasted
• 150g fresh mozzarella, sliced
• Hawt Sawhcey Scorch Honey — to finish
• Fresh basil leaves to garnish

Method

1. Build the San Marzano sauce

Warm the olive oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook gently for 1–2 minutes until fragrant — don’t let it colour. Crush the San Marzano tomatoes by hand directly into the pan. Add the sugar, season generously with salt and pepper, and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes until thickened and deeply flavoured. Tear in the fresh basil at the end and stir through. Taste and adjust. This sauce is the foundation — treat it with respect.

2. Prepare the dredge

Mix the Italian breadcrumbs, grated Parmigiano, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Butterfly the chicken breasts and pound to an even thickness of about 1cm — this ensures even cooking and maximum crust surface area.

3. Dredge and fry

Dip each chicken breast in the beaten egg, letting the excess drip off. Press firmly into the breadcrumb and parmesan mixture, coating both sides thoroughly. Heat neutral oil in a large pan over medium-high heat — about 1cm deep. Fry the chicken for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through. The crust should shatter when you cut it. Drain on a wire rack, not paper towel — the rack keeps the bottom crispy.

4. Sauce and melt

Spoon a generous layer of red sauce over each fried chicken breast. Lay slices of fresh mozzarella on top. Place under a hot grill or broiler for 2–3 minutes until the mozzarella is fully melted, bubbling, and starting to blister at the edges. Watch it — it goes from perfect to burnt fast.

5. Build the sub

Toast the split sub rolls until golden. Spoon a little extra red sauce on the bottom half. Lay the sauced, cheesy chicken on top. Finish with fresh basil leaves and — the move — a generous drizzle of Scorch Honey straight over the melted mozzarella. The sweet heat cuts right through the richness and ties the whole thing together. Close the sub, press gently, and cut on the diagonal.

Hawt Notes 🔥

• San Marzano tomatoes only — the sweetness and low acidity is what makes this sauce. Don’t substitute with regular tinned tomatoes if you can avoid it.
• Wire rack over paper towel — always rest fried food on a wire rack. Paper towel steams the bottom and kills your crust.
• Parmigiano in the dredge is the secret weapon — it caramelises in the oil and creates a nutty, salty crust that straight breadcrumbs can’t touch.
• Scorch Honey at the end — don’t skip it, don’t be shy with it. The honey sweetness against the sharp tomato and salty parmesan is the combination that makes this a homerun.