Chicken Parmigiana

Begin by warming your favorite marinara sauce on the stove, on low. I make my own, but if you do not have time for that, go with a higher quality sauce from the store.

Next, take your chicken breasts, and carefully use your knife and slice them down the middle, from the side. The goal is to butterfly the chicken breasts. Once you have butterflied your breasts, lay plastic wrap down on your meat board, or cutting board. Lay the breast on top of the plastic wrap, then top with a larger piece of plastic wrap. Take the flat end of your meat mallet, and lightly pound the breast, from the center out. This will help tenderize the chicken, while at the same time, making your chicken cutlet. Just be careful not to tear the chicken. Continue this process with the rest of your breasts.

Now it is time to get your dredging station ready. Get three dishes ready that are deep enough to hold flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs. To station one, add the flour, and season with salt and pepper, and garlic powder. To station two, crack your eggs, add the water, and beat with a fork to make your egg wash. To station three, add the breadcrumbs, basil, and oregano. Mix well.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees (F).

Get a large fry pan warmed to medium heat, and add in enough olive olive to coat the bottom.

Take a chicken breast, and add it to your flour bowl. Flip it over to coat, and shake off any excess flour. Add it to station two, to coat with the egg wash. Next, add it to station three, pushing it into the breadcrumbs. Take your hand and add more crumbs to the top, pushing it into the breast. Shake off any excess crumbs.

Add this to your fry pan, and fry on both sides for a few minutes. Remove from the pan, and place in a strainer for any excess oil to drain. Feel free to let these cool, store in a large ziplock bag, and freeze them for later use.

Repeat this process with the rest of the chicken breasts. NOTE: These are great enough to eat right now, plain. I took one large breast, sliced them into strips, and my kids ate those for dinner, along with pasta. They loved them!

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and generously season with salt. Cook your pasta, according to the directions, reserving a half cup of the pasta water. Drain, and have it ready to plate.

Get a large cooking dish ready and place your fried chicken breasts in the dish. Top with your red sauce. Generously sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top of the sauce, and top with the slices of mozzarella cheese. Place in the oven until the cheese becomes bubbly, about 8-10 minutes.

When you are ready to plate, add some pasta to a bowl, and add in some of your red sauce. Mix well. The pasta will serve as the bed for the chicken parmigiana. Add the chicken parmigiana to the top of the pasta, top with a fresh basil leaf, and dig in.

This dish is great any day of the week and pleases kids and adults as well.