chicken parmesan

This is by far one of my favorite dishes to make, and my favorite recipe for chicken parmesan. I found this in my copy of Giada De Laurentiis's Everyday Italian, and it is delicious! I like it because it's lighter than the usually heavy breaded and sometime fried version. The sauce is also delicious! This meal is easy to prepare, and you can even make the sauce and freeze what you don't use of it for another meal down the road, if you are just cooking for 2-3 people.

Chicken Parmesan
Giada De Laurentiis's Everyday Italian
4-5 main course servings

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. fresh rosemary
1 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 chicken cutlets (about 3 ounces each)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup Marinara Sauce (recipe follows)
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
8 tsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

D I R E C T I O N S :

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. In a small bowl, stir the oil and herbs to blend. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Heat a large, heave ovenproof skillet over a high flame. Add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 1 minute per side. Remove from heat.

Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of mozzarella over each cutlet, then sprinkle 2 tsp. of Parmesan over each. Dot the tops with the butter pieces, and bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.


For the Marinara Sauce:

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves

D I R E C T I O N S :

In a large pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hours. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using).

When I made this, I served it with orzo, steamed spinach, and parmesan toast. The recipes for those can be found below.