Introduction: Great Parmesan Chicken
This dish is delicious and only takes about an hour from start to finish.
Ingredients:
Tomato Sauce:
1 ounce sun dried tomatoes, packed without the oil (about a quarter cup)
1 cup of boiling water
1 teaspoon of olive oil
2 cups red bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes undrained
one quarter cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
one quarter teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
Chicken:
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4(6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 large egg lightly beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) partially skim mozzarella cheese
3 cups hot cooked linguine or spaghetti (about 6 ounces uncooked pasta)
1. To prepare the tomato sauce, combine sun-dried tomatoes and boiling water in a bowl and cover; cover and let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain and finely chop tomatoes.
2. Heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add sun-dried tomatoes, bell pepper and onion. Saute 7 minutes. Stir in can tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, basil, vinegar,pepper and garlic.
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. To prepare chicken, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup. Level with a knife. Combine the flour with Parmesan and black pepper in a shallow dish. Place each chicken breast half way between 2 sheets of heavy duty plastic wrap. Pound the chicken to one quarter inch thickness using a mallet or a heavy skillet. Dredge each chicken breast into egg then into the flour/cheese mixture.
5. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Arrange in a 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour tomato sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve over linguine or spaghetti.
Ingredients:
Tomato Sauce:
1 ounce sun dried tomatoes, packed without the oil (about a quarter cup)
1 cup of boiling water
1 teaspoon of olive oil
2 cups red bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes undrained
one quarter cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
one quarter teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
Chicken:
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4(6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 large egg lightly beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) partially skim mozzarella cheese
3 cups hot cooked linguine or spaghetti (about 6 ounces uncooked pasta)
1. To prepare the tomato sauce, combine sun-dried tomatoes and boiling water in a bowl and cover; cover and let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain and finely chop tomatoes.
2. Heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add sun-dried tomatoes, bell pepper and onion. Saute 7 minutes. Stir in can tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, basil, vinegar,pepper and garlic.
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. To prepare chicken, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup. Level with a knife. Combine the flour with Parmesan and black pepper in a shallow dish. Place each chicken breast half way between 2 sheets of heavy duty plastic wrap. Pound the chicken to one quarter inch thickness using a mallet or a heavy skillet. Dredge each chicken breast into egg then into the flour/cheese mixture.
5. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Arrange in a 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour tomato sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve over linguine or spaghetti.
Step 1: Dredging the Chicken
Dredging the chicken in the flour and Parmesan mixture gives it more flavor and gives it a nice brown exterior when cooked. The wetness of the chicken when dipped into the egg help the flour/cheese adhere to the chicken breasts. Organize your work space so that you can use one hand for dipping the chicken into the flour/cheese mixture and the other hand for dredging the chicken into the egg.
Step 2: Before Serving
Add a little olive oil to your pasta to keep it from sticking together. When you put your pasta on the plate add a little of your sauce on top of the pasta before you put your chicken breast on top of the pasta. This will ensure that there is enough sauce on your pasta. Serve with a fresh garden salad and extra Parmesan cheese for those cheese lovers.