PHILADELPHIA ¬ In a January 2011 CBS "Early Show" cooking segment, contributor Katie Lee called Chicken Parmigiana "one of those perfect comfort foods most people love."
With that in mind, Philadelphia-based Dietz & Watson, one of the nation¹s oldest and most well- known purveyors of premium deli meats and artisan cheeses, has developed a unique Chicken Parmigiana item for service delis that is the first of its kind.
It is made from fresh, extra lean chicken breast coated and cooked in corn flour crumbs with aged parmesan cheese, Italian seasonings and topped with a tangy marinara sauce.
"My mom always loved making Chicken Parmigiana when we were growing up, and so many people love it that we decided to create a Chicken Parmigiana deli item," said Louis Eni, Dietz & Watson President & CEO. "We¹re still a family company after nearly 75 years, and we still develop new items with that family feel in mind."
Louis Eni¹s mom is Ruth Dietz Eni, company chairman and affectionately known as Momma Dietz. A University of Pennsylvania graduate and a working mom before there really was such a thing, Ruth loved to come
home after a busy day and cook special meals for her kids, whose palates are every bit as finicky as hers. Today, her kids are grown, and Louis, Chris and Cindy work side-by-side to help her run the company as CEO, COO and CFO, respectively, along with two of her grandchildren, Lauren Eni and Christopher Yingling.
"When we developed this new item, we wanted it to taste just like the Chicken Parmigiana you make from scratch, and using fresh, whole chicken breasts, natural Italian spices, real aged Parmesan cheese and a wonderful corn flour crumb coating, we couldn¹t go wrong," said Momma Dietz. "After we perfected the product, the next step was coming up with some great, easy to prepare recipes, and we came up with some real winners." (see three recipes below).
ABOUT DIETZ & WATSON
Founded in 1939 by Gottlieb Dietz, Dietz & Watson remains true to the original old-world recipes and Gottlieb¹s commitment to "quality above all". Creating the freshest and leanest beef, ham, pork, turkey breast, and chicken breast, Dietz & Watson¹s products are enhanced with all-natural spices and seasonings for increased flavor. In addition to the natural seasonings and spices, all of their products are free of artificial flavors, colors, fillers, extenders and MSG. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Dietz & Watson continues their tradition of family and their commitment to expecting the best. Under the lead of Gottlieb Dietz¹s daughter, Ruth Dietz Eni (Chairman), Dietz and Watson continues to lead the industry in Premium Deli Meats and Artisan Cheeses. In addition to the guidance from Ruth Dietz Eni, the company is lead by founder Gottlieb Dietz grandchildren, Louis Eni (President and CEO), Chris Eni (COO), Cindy Eni Yingling (CFO) and now the fourth generation, Lauren Eni and Christopher Yingling have joined to company to carry the tradition further. www.DietzAndWatson.com.
Source: Dietz & Watson