Chicken Parmesan

I’m a big fan of Target’s designer and celebrity collaborations, so when my aunt (who is an excellent chef) suggested that I check out Giada de Laurentiis’s tomato basil marinara sauce, I knew it would be delicious. I finally made a trip to Target and picked up a bottle of the sauce, and after trying it I wish I had purchased a dozen more. I used it to make chicken parmesan and had some leftover sauce to toss with the spaghetti. I’d like to think that my chicken parmesan recipe is delicious when paired with any good-quality marinara sauce, but Giada’s tomato basil made it extra tasty. It’s definitely worth making a trip to the store and picking up some sauce before it runs out!

Chicken Parmesan:

• Place 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts* in between plastic wrap and pound them out into 1/2" thick cutlets.**
• Meanwhile, prepare your breading stations: beat together 2 eggs in one large plate, place 1 c. flour in another, and combine 2 c. panko breadcrumbs*** and 1 tbsp. chopped parsley in another. Season all plates with salt and pepper.
• Cut cutlets in half, then bread each one by first coating in flour, then coating in egg, then coating in breadcrumbs (shake off excess coating during each step).
• Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a skillet, then add the chicken cutlets and cook for 4 minutes per side, or until browned.
• Pour some marinara sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish, so that a thin coating of marinara covers the dish.
• Add the chicken in a single layer in the dish, then sprinkle each piece with 1 tbsp. of grated Parmesan cheese.
• Cover the chicken with more marinara, then place a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese over each piece of chicken.
• Bake the chicken at 375°F for 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and chicken is cooked through.
• Let chicken cool slightly, then serve with spaghetti tossed with more marinara and fresh basil.

Serves four
*Totaling about 1 1/4 lb. of chicken.
**Use a meat mallet if you have it, but I use the bottom of an empty wine bottle.
***Japanese-style breadcrumbs, now available in most supermarkets.