Classic Chicken Parmesan

Last week I talked about the idea of building a repertoire of go-to recipes. Recipes that you know like the back of your hand and never fail to satisfy the tastebuds. This Chicken Parmesan should be one of them. Kevin made this Chicken Parm the first time he had me over for dinner, and clearly it was a winner. Since then, we’ve only made it a few other times and definitely not as frequently as we should given how simple and delicious it is. On top of coming up with our go-to recipes, Kevin and I have also been talking about coming up with general  weekly themes to our meals: Make your own pizza Fridays, Italian Sundays – and this recipe will definitely fit the bill. It’s also perfect for these freezing cold temps out there. So hunker down with this classic dish and keep it in your back pocket for whenever you’re looking for a semi-quick, easy, and delicious meal.

Chicken Parmesan

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 small jar tomato paste

1 28 oz. jar tomate purée

6 garlic cloves, sliced

handful fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish

2 bay leaves

dried oregano

garlic salt

1 lb whole wheat spaghetti

1 lb thinly sliced chicken cutlets

1/2 cup flour

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs

3 tbsp olive oil

4-5 slices provolone cheese

grated Parmesan cheese

1. Add tomato paste, tomato purée, garlic, basil, and bay leaves to a sauce pot. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic salt. Heat over medium-low heat and let simmer for at least 2 hours. If you’re in a pinch, just heat until it’s hot.

2. When you’re ready to eat, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente and drain. Toss the pasta in the tomato sauce.

4. Meanwhile, place flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls. Season the chicken with salt & pepper then dredge in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.

5. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the chicken until brown on both sides. Set aside to paper towels to drain.

6. Place cooked chicken on baking sheet and top with sliced provolone. Bake in the oven until the cheese just melts.

7. Plate the pasta and top with a piece of chicken. Garnish with extra fresh basil and grated Parmesan.