Chicken Parmesan

Italian Dinner Recipes

1-2 lb. boneless chicken breast 1 egg, beaten 1-2 Tbsp. water 2/3 c. bread crumbs 1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese 2 Tbsp. olive oil 2 c. spaghetti sauce (1 jar) 1/2 lb. spaghetti 1 c. mozzarella cheese

This is a great "make-and-take" meal - just perfect to drop by for a new mom. It's also my father-in-law's favorite: One birthday dinner, coming up! Serve it alongside a tossed salad, maybe with some crusty Italian bread. Using a sharp knife, cut the thickest parts of the chicken breast in half to make several tenderloins of about the same thickness. (The thinner your tenderloins, the faster they'll cook.) If you're cooking for a family, try to make several different sizes of chicken so that there's the perfect size for small fry.) On a plate, break the egg and beat lightly. Add a little water and stir. On another plate, combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Dredge the chicken pieces through the egg wash made above, then through the bread crumb mixture. (The egg wash helps the bread crumbs stick a little better. Skip the egg wash if you're short on eggs.) In a large skillet, heat just enough olive oil over medium-high heat to coat the bottom of the pan. While chicken is cooking, put plenty of water on to boil the pasta. Add breadcrumb-coated chicken to pan. The key to keeping the breading on is to not turn it too much. The white of "cooked" will crawl up the side of the chicken; when it's half way, flip it. Cook the chicken until it's done through. You'll feel its done-ness when you pick it up with a spatula. Done chicken is no longer floppy. Once the water boils, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. In a 9x13 rectangular baking pan, pour 1/4 c. spaghetti sauce in the bottom of the pan. Turn it to spread the sauce across the entire bottom of the pan. Make a layer of cooked spaghetti in the bottom of the pan on top of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce across the layer of spaghetti. Once the chicken is done, lay the chicken in a single layer across the spaghetti and sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese. If you're making to take it, here's where to stop. Freeze it or take it. When you're ready to eat it, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake at 350°F until chicken is warmed through and cheese is all melty.

Submitted by Gretchen Grant
Contributed on: Tuesday June 5th, 2007 and modified on Wednesday June 6th, 2007