Baked Chicken Parmesan

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Ugh- another rainy and cold day here!  What to do? Make comfort food to warm our bodies and souls ; )
My family loves cheese and tomato sauce so I am always putting that combination of flavors together on the dinner table.  To make this dish a bit healthier, I bake the chicken instead of frying. When putting together your sauce, taste it and adjust the seasonings to your liking.  This meal is super easy and very satisfying. Serve it with pasta, side salad, and warm crusty bread and you are good to go.  Oh- almost forgot, I always have extra Parmesan cheese on the table for those who need a little extra sprinkle on their chicken!  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and ground black pepper

Chicken:

• 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp white-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (5-oz) skinless boneless chicken breast halves
• 3/4 cup of breadcrumbs
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Directions 

1 Prepare the sauce. In a large saucepan, heat the garlic and oil together over medium high heat until the garlic starts to sizzle. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until sauce thickens  about 10-12 minutes.
2 Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut each chicken breast half in half for smaller pieces. With a meat pounder, pound the chicken pieces to flatten them to an even thickness - between 1/4 - 1/2 inch.
3 Whisk together mustard, vinegar, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl, add the chicken pieces, tossing to coat well.
4 In another bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, grated cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Mix well and add in the melted butter. Transfer to a shallow plate. Dredge the chicken pieces 1 piece at a time in the crumb mixture, coating completely. Press the crumbs in gently to adhere and transfer to a stick-free baking sheet. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Serve with a side of rice or pasta. Ladle sauce over the chicken.