Chicken Parmigiana

4 servings

Marinara Sauce

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil

Chicken

2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved horizontally, and pounded 1/2 inch thick
Kosher salt
1 egg
¼ cup all-purpose flour (can be gluten-free or low carb)

Breadcrumb Mixture

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (can be gluten-free or low carb)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese

Pasta

8 oz ziti or penne pasta
Salt
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

For the sauce: Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add garlic, salt, black pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and increase the heat to high and bring to simmer. Simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir in the basil, cover the pot and keep warm.

For the chicken: Sprinkle each side of each cutlet with 1/8 teaspoon salt.
In one shallow dish place the flour. In another shallow dish, place the egg beaten with a tablespoon of water. In a third shallow dish combine the fresh breadcrumbs with the parmesan cheese, garlic powder, oregano and black pepper.
Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlet in flour and shape off any loose flour. Dip the cutlet into the egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Coat all sides of the cutlets in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently so the crumbs adhere. Transfer cutlet to a large plate and repeat with the remaining cutlets.

Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the cutlets in the skillet and cook without moving them until the bottoms are crispy and golden brown, 1½ to 2 minutes. Using tongs, carefully turn the cutlets and cook on the second side until golden brown, 1½ to 2 minutes. Cover the top of each cutlet with tomato sauce and sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over the cutlets. Broil until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to a serving platter and top with a little marinara sauce.

For the pasta: Fill a pasta cooking pot with water and bring to a boil Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add pasta and cook al dente. Drain the pasta and place in a pasta serving bowl. Add the cheese, mix and then add the sauce. Mix well and serve with the chicken.

Sautéed Green Beans

Ingredients

1 lb green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half.
2 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs

Directions

In a large, deep skillet with a cover, melt the butter and add the garlic and herbs. Stir and add the green beans. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the beans are tender, about 15 minutes.


Posted by in Cheese, Chicken, green beans, Healthy Italian Cooking, Marinara, Pasta, Sauces Tags: