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What would a red-sauce Italian meal be without a giant, Texas-shaped chicken Parm taking center stage? The iconic dish is easily one of the most Instagrammed entrées in L.A. over the past few years, thanks to the recent explosion of new Italian-American eateries (we see you, Donna’s and La Dolce Vita). For the uninitiated, the dish stars a pounded-out chicken breast that’s breaded and fried then smothered in gooey mozzarella (or Provolone), Parmesan, and marinara. While the dish likely originated in home kitchens back on the East Coast, Los Angeles restaurants have long served it as well, most famously at the 60-year-old West Hollywood restaurant Dan Tana’s. But what we really love about chicken Parm overall is that the dish delivers and reheats pretty well, so long as you dive into it straight away. From new upstarts, to chicken Parm OGs, below are a few of our favorites you can get delivered straight to your door.
Sunday Gravy
This buzzy restaurant combines the classic chicken Parm with two other popular dishes: hot chicken and French dip. Siblings Sol and Ghazi Bashirian took over their father’s former restaurant space in Inglewood five years ago and transformed it into Sunday Gravy, dedicated to casual takes on Italian comfort food favorites. For their Parm, they bread the chicken — alternating buttermilk, flour, and seasoned panko breadcrumbs — then deep-fry and top with tomato sauce and whole-milk mozzarella. To spice it up, they serve hot Calabrian chili oil dip on the side. On the menu, you’ll find the dish only in sandwich form, which comes on a ciabatta roll slathered with garlic butter, but if you ask, the restaurant can do it entrée-style (even for delivery!).
Little Dom’s
If you didn’t get the chicken Parm at Little Dom’s, did you even order from there? This Los Feliz staple comes from chef Brandon Boudet, a Louisiana-born chef with Italian heritage, as an Eastside follow-up to Dominick’s, the now-closed classic Italian-American destination in Hollywood. Originally, chicken Parm wasn’t on the menu, appearing only as a Monday night special. But they had to add it to the menu permanently about five years ago. “We could not take off the menu now or there would be an uprising,” says Luke O’Grady, the chef de cuisine at Little Dom’s. The team sources whole breasts from local farmers, then debones and pounds them out into a massive cutlet. They’re brined for a few hours in buttermilk, then breaded in a mixture of breadcrumbs made from day-old fresh baguettes and a heavy amount of Parm, which gives that signature umami flavor. Then it’s covered in fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella, and baked. The result is a thick, meaty cutlet with tons of flavor and a fresh-tasting tomato sauce that’s balanced out with creamy mozzarella and snips of bright, fresh basil.
Danny Boy’s Famous Original Pizzeria
Chef Daniel Holzman, one half of the duo behind NYC’s famed Meatball Shop, is one of many New York chefs who have decamped in Los Angeles in recent years. Lucky for us, he’s bringing his signature dishes with him. Holzman, who grew up on NYC’s Upper West Side, always dreamed of owning a slice shop like Danny Boy’s, which upgrades pizza and other Italian-American classics with quality ingredients. Chicken Parm has been Holtzman’s favorite sandwich since childhood, so obviously, it had to make an appearance at the downtown L.A restaurant when it opened in 2021. To make it, he starts with sliced chicken cutlets that have been fried in extra virgin olive oil and tops them with roasted tomato grandma sauce; mozzarella; and his own house blend of Pecorino, oregano, garlic powder, and chili powder. Then the cutlet is sandwiched between a sesame seed roll and toasted to perfection, thanks to custom stands set up in the oven that Holzman welded himself (it creates a 360 airflow to prevent sogginess and keep everything extra crispy). You’ll appreciate the ingenuity when the sandwich arrives on your doorstep.
Jon & Vinny’s
The chicken Parm that may have started it all — chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo’s original Fairfax location has been serving up the iconic dish since opening in 2015. The spot plays on Italian-American classics but with Shook’s and Dotolo’s own chef-driven twists. For their chicken Parm, they bread and deep-fry chicken cutlets; crown them with sliced Provolone, Parm, and marinara sauce; then bake them in their wood-fired pizza oven. The sauce really sets their version apart — it’s simple yet salty and flavorful. This is one of the superlative versions of chicken Parm you’ll find in L.A.
Jemma Hollywood
Chicken Parm alla vodka? Yes, please. This newish Italian destination — from the owners of Venice social-media darling Ospi — serves up their take on the classic dish as a sandwich. Chef Jackson Kalb now presides over a mini empire of Italian restaurants, including sister concepts Jemma di Mare, Ospi, and Jame in El Segundo. Jemma is the latest in the collection and focused on Italian-American comfort food. The chicken Parm here comes on a classic hero roll, with your choice of tomato passata sauce or creamy vodka sauce, and pressed between sheets of gooey Provolone and fresh basil. My recommendation? Go for the vodka.
Dear John’s
If Frank Sinatra used to hang out here, you know the Italian food is legit. Actor Johnny Harlowe debuted this iconic Culver City spot in the 1960s, and it soon became the place for Sinatra among other Hollywood elite. In 2019, chefs Hans Röckenwager and Josiah Citrin of Melisse and Charcoal took it over, giving the menu a much needed update for the 2020s. Their spin on the classic dish is one of the most unique you’ll try. Instead of smothering the chicken in tomato sauce and mozzarella, the chefs put the sauce inside. When you dig into the deep-fried, bone-in chicken breast, it appears to be nothing more than a giant chicken tender. But one cut in and it’ll be oozing with marinara sauce and mozzarella.
Eastside Italian Deli
This old-school Italian sandwich shop in the heart of downtown L.A. will take you back to the East Coast. Originally a grocer and meat market in 1929 for what was a predominantly Italian neighborhood, it has since evolved to become the area’s go-to Italian deli counter. Doling out classics like cold-capicola-and-Provolone sandwiches and hot meatball subs, it also does a spectacular version on the classic chicken Parm. The generously sized rendition features the breaded and fried chicken cutlets smothered in melty Provolone, a garlicky tomato sauce, and fresh Parm. A toasted hero roll seals the deal. Note: It’s technically considered a “special,” so it isn’t always on the delivery menu.
Frankie’s on Melrose
If you can’t make it to Dan Tana’s, this is the next best thing. This nearly 40-year-old favorite from New York transplant Frankie Competelli dishes up classics inspired by his grandmother’s recipes (think lasagna al forno and shrimp fra diavolo). He takes pride in his Italian heritage — he founded L.A.’s first San Gennaro festival as a tribute to NYC’s Little Italy original — and that extends to the chicken Parm at his Fairfax neighborhood spot. It comes breaded and fried, the crown jewel nestled on a bed of old-school spaghetti drowned in garlicky marinara and softened mozzarella. It’s one of the more throwback versions of the dishes you’ll find in L.A. — but still one of the best.
Joe’s Pizza Hollywood
For a true East Coast-style Parm, look no further than Joe’s. The LA outpost of the ever-beloved Big Apple slice shop that dates back to the mid ’70s has a menu that goes beyond pizza. Their chicken Parm hero is made with a breaded and fried chicken breast and is topped with plentiful marinara sauce and melty mozzarella cheese. Served atop a crusty hero roll, it’s the perfect WFH lunch or easy dinner. Plus, you can customize your Parm with toppings like peppers, onions, mushrooms, extra cheese, or fresh spinach.
Michelangelo Ristorante
This Silver Lake neighborhood favorite has been serving up Italian classics since opening in 1997. While they’re known for their homemade pastas like rigatoni Bolognese, don’t miss their take on chicken Parm. The massive chicken breast is covered in marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese and served with a side of sautéed veggies and roasted potatoes. Pro tip: Add a side of their famous meatballs for the maximalist red-sauce experience.
Lomeli’s
Dining at this humble restaurant located in a Gardena strip mall is like stepping back in time. It was founded by Carlo Lomeli, who began his career as a busboy and then worked his way up to restaurant owner when he bought the space in 1978. The restaurant is known for its heavy hand with the sauce, and the chicken Parm is no exception. The chicken cutlet, which is breaded and fried, arrives under a hefty amount of marinara sauce, mozzarella, and Parm. Served with a side of spaghetti and freshly made garlic bread, the whole thing is a steal for under $20. (It’s also available in sandwich form, served on a toasty hero roll.) It tastes hearty and satisfying but is not for the faint of heart.
