Chicken Parmigiana : Italian-American Easy Chicken Bake

Well, the weekend is here once more and today I am sharing a recipe for Chicken Parmigiana, the easy Italian-American chicken bake. You could enjoy it as a weekend dish, a midweek dish or in fact it's tasty any day of the week! Crunchy, cheesy and with an easy tomato sauce, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Ingredients

(Serves Four)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
4 chicken breasts
50g/1¾oz dry breadcrumbs (panko breadcrumbs work well)
1 (free-range) egg, beaten
25g/1oz butter
pinch dried chilli flakes
100g/3½oz mozzarella, cut into 5mm/¼in-thick slices
handful fresh basil or oregano leaves
salt

Method
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and fry the garlic until soft. Add the tomatoes and gently simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Lay the chicken breasts in between two sheets of baking paper and bash with a meat tenderiser or rolling pin, until flattened slightly.
3. Season the breadcrumbs with salt in a shallow bowl or plate. Put the egg in another shallow bowl. Coat the chicken in the egg and then in the breadcrumbs.
4. Heat the remaining oil and the butter in a frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, or until crisp, turning halfway through.
5. Put half of the tomato sauce in a shallow ovenproof dish. Lay the chicken on top, scatter with the chilli flakes and cover with the remaining sauce. Top with the mozzarella and cover with a lid or foil. Bake for 10 minutes.
6. Uncover the chicken and bake for a further 8–10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breast, until cooked through. Top with the basil and serve.

From original idea seen here

~ enjoy your weekend ~

Dear reader, you will find a variety of recipe ideas within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. Always take account of your personal circumstances, needs, illnesses and medication you may be taking. Any allergies, or underlying health issues must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan