This recipe came from a post by Ellie Kreiger, "Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger" on food network. Hers was called Chicken Parmesan.
What intrigued me about it was there would be no frying involved. I love that!
I did a couple of things differently, but the basics are the same. I adjusted my ingredients to serve two, rather than 4 as the recipe calls for. This was a very easy recipe to create.
Meet the cluckers' cast:
4 slices whole-wheat bread (1-ounce each)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 egg whites
1/2 cup skim milk (I used whole milk)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 (6 ounce) skinless boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
Olive oil cooking spray
1 jar good-quality marinara sauce (about 3 1/2 cups) (I used Pasta sauce in a jar)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons (1/2-ounce) shredded Parmesan
Serves 4 Total cooking/prep time is about an hour
I had bread crumbs in the freezer, all I had to do was toast them in the oven. I mixed in some dried basil and oregano before I placed it in the oven to toast.
To make your own, in a food processor place 4 slices of bread and whiz until crumbly fine pieces, about 30 seconds.
Place them in an even layer on a baking sheet and toast them till browned. 10-12 minutes. Watch them, as when they start browing it goes fast!
Place them in a tray to dredge your chicken in and mix in half of the paprika and garlic powder, and add the salt and pepper.
I added the other half of the paprika and garlic powder , with some salt and pepper to the flour and mixed it in well.
Flour the chicken on both sides, shaking off excess
Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees.
Then dip it in the egg/milk mix and cover it evenly
Now into the bread crumbs till evenly coated.
Place them into your baking dish.
Spray them with a good cover of cooking spray, turn them over and spray again. This is going to help get them very golden brown while cooking.
Put them in the oven to cook for about 15 minutes till well browned. Then remove them from the oven.
Leave the oven on.
Cover the chicken with your marinara or pasta sauce, then cover with the cheeses. I love lots of cheese! Place them back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and getting good color.
While the chicken is doing the second bake, get your pasta cooked until al dente and drain.
Now THAT looks ready to eat out of the dish......
But we must be civilized with proper presentation.....so,
Place the spaghetti on the plate and pour some hot marina or sauce on if you like, then place a chicken breast on top. Grate some fresh parmesan and sprinkle some chopped basil or parsley on the top. Oh Yum!
I felt this recipe was just as easy as the posted recipe instructions. And I would make this again in a heartbeat. I can't think of a thing that I did not love about this dish in the making of it and the eatin'. A+ from this gal. :-)
Pound the chicken breast into even 1/2" thickness. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken.
Place flour in one tray, egg in another and the bread crumbs in a third.
I sprayed a baking dish very lighty with cooking spray.
