PERFECT CHICKEN PARMESAN

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless chicken breasts (skinless)
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (divided)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup olive oil*
• 1 25 ounce jar pasta sauce
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella (sliced)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Using a large plastic bag or plastic wrap, cover chicken and flatten to half inch thickness using a meat pounder or a rolling pin.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of chicken.
4. Add flour to bowl. Add beaten egg to another bowl. Combine bread crumbs with 1/2 cup parmesan (reserving the other half for later) along with the basil and oregano in a dish large enough for the chicken breasts.
5. Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium high heat.
6. Dredge chicken in flour, then coat with egg, then cover with bread crumb mixture. Press coating onto chicken to get as much as possible to stick. When the oil is very hot, just below the point where it begins to smoke, add your coated chicken. Continue with the remaining chicken breasts.
7. Cook each breast until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and transfer to baking dish.
8. Cover each breast with Mezzetta Napa Valley Homemade pasta sauce as well as a couple slices of mozzarella and the remaining parmesan cheese. You may reserve some of the sauce to serve with pasta on the side, if desired.
9. Cook in preheated oven until cheese has melted, about 5-10 minutes.

This article and recipe adapted from this site