Chicken Parmigiana

This is one of the few recipes I decided to make during the last months of school drudgery. I wasn't cooking much back then, so I needed something simple but tasty. In a salute to all these great recipes I've tried lately after convincing myself it was okay to cook crowd pleasers instead of gourmet flops, I settled on Parmesan chicken.

As you can imagine, I was a little too busy to take pictures. Well, honestly I was too hungry, but you get the idea. Anyways, I whipped up some Bobby Flay chicken parm with a little salad and it was dinner ahoy! Of course, looking back on it, they were tasty. However, it I ever make them again, I think I'd replace the bread crumbs with just straight Parmesan cheese. They weren't quite cheesy enough as is. Also, I might end up adding more sauce because it tasted a whole lot better smothered in rich tomatoes. Otherwise, nothing to complain about here.

Chicken Parmigiana

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
4 large eggs, beaten with 2 tablespoons water and seasoned with salt and pepper
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 cup vegetable oil or pure olive oil
Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Fresh basil or parsley leaves, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

--Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each breast in the flour and tap off excess, then dip in the egg and let excess drip off, then dredge on both sides in the bread crumbs.

--Divide the oil between 2 large saute pans and heat over high heat until almost smoking. Add 2 chicken breasts to each pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet and top each breast with some tomato sauce, a few slices of the mozzarella, salt and pepper, and a tablespoon of Parmesan. Bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with basil or parsley leaves.

If you follow the link to his recipe on the Food Network, he also lists his recipe for the tomato sauce. I have to admit that I cheated and bought bottled sauce. Still just as tasty but much quicker and less cleanup.