Weeknight Baked Chicken Parmesan

A very easy weeknight chicken Parmesan. With a very moist and tender chicken and a tasty cruchy topping, this may be just what you're looking for.

I started with a very popular recipe from Food Wishes. The idea is to smoother skinless boneless chicken breasts in some marinara sauce then top with Parmesan, mozzarella and some garlic croutons. I cut the recipe in half... we are cooking for two here. I added a bit more cheese than "half" a recipe would call for but the recipe reflects the half. I love crusty cheese on my Italian.



Rating

Tasty but... Some good and some not so good. See below.

Notes: The chicken was very tender and moist. Very nice. The cheese/crouton topping really worked better than expected. So what's the problem? The sauce and the competition. First the sauce. I LOVE a good marinara sauce and they just don't come in a jar. And if you need to make the marinara, the recipe looses it's main appeal, speed and ease. The competition is my real problem. My "real" chicken Parmesan is excellent.  See my post Chicken Parmesan-An Easy Company Feast. A solid 5 and not that hard. I think I will just make it more often.

So should you do this? Yes if you have a jar marinara you like and you want a simple take on chicken parmesan for a easy and tasty week night recipe.

 Preheat oven to 350.

 Trim three medium size chicken breasts.

 In a small baking dish, cover the bottom with 1 T olive oil, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper and spread over the bottom of the dish.

 Lay the chicken breast in the baking dish.

 Cover with one cup of marinara. Top 1 tsp dry basil. Triple the basil if using fresh.

Sprinkle the top with about 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan. Add 1 1/2 cups of garlic croutons.

 Finish the top with another 1/2 cup (or a bit more) mozzarella.

 Bake at 350 until browned and internal temp of chicken is 165. 45 minutes for me. You must use a thermometer. Do not guess at the end point. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Weeknight Baked Chicken Parmesan

by DrDan at 101 Cooking for Two December-8-2012

A very easy weeknight chicken Parmesan. With a very moist and tender chicken and a tasty cruchy topping, this may be just what you're looking for.

Ingredients

• 3 skinless boneless chicken breasts trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/4 t red pepper flakes
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1 t dry basil
• 1 cup (or more) mozzarella
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
• 1 1/2 cups garlic croutons

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 350. Trim three medium size chicken breasts.2) In a small baking dish, cover the bottom with 1 T olive oil, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper and spread over the bottom of the dish.3) Lay the chicken breast in the baking dish.4) Cover with one cup of marinara. Top 1 tsp dry basil. Triple the basil if using fresh.5) Sprinkle the top with about 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan. Add 1 1/2 cups of garlic croutons. Finish the top with another 1/2 cup (or a bit more) mozzarella.6) Bake at 350 until browned and internal temp of chicken is 165. 45 minutes for me. You must use a thermometer. Do not guess at the end point. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 55 mins Yield: 3 servings

Updated

December 8 2012

DrDan