The chicken parmigiana is a pub staple across Australia, where thousands are served up every day at bistros across the country.

Like the flat white, the chicken parmy, served up with chips and salad, is an Australian icon.

But when did the Italian-meets-American style tucker pop up on Australian menus?

According to food historian and author Jan O'Connell the earliest reference to a chicken parmigiana in Australia is in 1980.

"That was as a restaurant dish rather than in the pub," she told Lucy Breaden on ABC Radio Hobart.

"I'm guessing it started to become a pub meal in the 1980s."

A parmigiana was originally made from eggplant as a traditional Italian dish.

"You won't find chicken parmigiana in any Italian cook book," Ms O'Connell said.

Ms O'Connell said the parmy came to Australia via America.

"It started to crop up there in the 1940s and was, and still is, in America — but always served with spaghetti," she said.

A chicken parmigiana as it is known in the United States — served with spaghetti. ( Flickr user: libsciterp )

Parmy or parma?

Within Australia, the affectionate nickname for the dish differs between 'parmy' and 'parma', and it can vary as to whether the chips are served underneath or on the side.

Ms O'Connell said the classic Australian take on the parmigiana was chicken breast fillet topped with tomato sauce and cheese grilled on top, usually served with chips and salad.

"Before it was chicken, the intervening stage between the eggplant parmigiana and chicken parmigiana was veal parmigiana, which was served in the 1970s in Italian restaurants," she said.

"When chicken started to be widely available in pieces without having to buy a whole chicken, that started the move towards the parmigiana."

The parmy, or parma has become a large dish.

"There's no doubt chicken breeders have been producing birds with bigger breasts so that there's more breast meat on the bird," she said.

"The chef gets hold of it and beats it so it's wide and flat."

Ms O'Connell said there is no sign of the parmigiana going anywhere soon.

"Pies have been with us since the first fleet, and haven't shown any sign of going away, and I think the chicken parmigiana is almost in that category these days," she said.

"The old 'parma and pot' night at the pub is a tradition we're going to stick with for quite some time."

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