Homemade chicken parmesan served over penne pasta will delight even the pickiest dinner guests.

Chicken parmesan is a classic, and it’s many people’s introduction to Italian food. There are countless recipes and about as many variations as there are chefs, but none of them are unique to your kitchen.

Spice It Up: Bread Crumbs

Bread crumbs are an integral part of good chicken parmesan, so ditch those breadcrumbs that your mom used from the grocery store. If you don’t mind getting dirty in the kitchen, you can easily make your own breadcrumbs with a day-old loaf of bread and your broiler or oven.

The flavor of homemade breadcrumbs is much better than the ones you’ll get in a can or jar.

If you don’t want to make your own breadcrumbs, try using Japanese Panko breadcrumbs instead of regular ones. They’ll add a little extra crunch and flavor, and Panko breadcrumbs are pretty much the gourmet standard.

Your dinner guests may not know exactly why your chicken parmesan is so much better than everybody else’s, but you will. The secret is in the breadcrumbs.