Dinner for two – restaurant-style chicken Parmesan

What better meal for Date Nite but Chicken Parmesan! What makes it even better is when it comes out just as a high-end restaurant would serve. I came across a video on this method and was a bit nervous to try it. When making chicken parm at home, it is usually baked which takes away the crispness of the crust on the chicken. Wait until you see how quick and easy and delicious this turns out!

Here is your shopping list:

1. 2 small chicken breasts pounded to ¼ inch thickness

2. 1 jar Ragu Kettle Cooked Marinara Sauce

3. 8 oz. Kraft Signature Mozzarella Blend

4. 4C Panko Seasoned Breadcrumbs

5. 2 eggs

6. Flour

7. Olive Oil Spray

8. Grated Parmesan Cheese

Prepare 3 bowls to coat the chicken. One with the eggs well beaten, the second with Flour seasoned with salt and pepper, the third with the Panko Seasoned breadcrumbs. Pound out the chicken breasts to ¼ inch thickness. Dredge in the seasoned flour, dip in the egg mixture and put into the Panko bowl and cover both sides completely with the breadcrumbs. Spray both sides lightly with olive oil. Place in an air fryer with a setting for chicken nuggets. This setting should only take about 15-20 minutes to cook. Check periodically to see if the top is browning. Then flip over to brown the other side. (If cooking in a regular oven, set at 375 degrees and bake for 25 minutes turning once, half-way through. Remove the chicken, place on a Large serving platter and ‘tent’ with foil while preparing the topping. Reset the oven at 400 degrees.

Take a cookie sheet (with a ½ inch lip) and pour the marina sauce on it in an oval shape. Sprinkle two separate areas with parmesan cheese. Place two separate generous piles of the mozzarella cheese on top of the parmesan cheese (see photo) far enough apart as not to melt into each other. Bake at 400 degrees until the cheese bubbles and starts to brown on top.

Here’s the fun part….

Make sure that the chicken on the platter is the same distance apart as the melted cheese on the cookie tray. Take the cookie tray balancing evenly with both hands and tilt over one end of one of the breasts while quickly moving the pan in the direction of the other breast to cover with sauce and cheese in a way that each breast now has its own cheese topping.

Serve with a side of your favorite Pasta.

(A Quick Note: I am not a fan of jarred pasta sauce as I always make my own. However, the Ragu Kettle Marinara Sauce which has come out recently is the bomb and goes great with this recipe! Also, remember from my past recipes, for the best flavor it is better when you season the flour and breadcrumbs rather than the actual chicken.)