Chicken Parmesan With Simple Tomato Sauce
This Chicken Parmesan features tender chicken cutlets, crispy panko coating, and a rich, homemade tomato sauce. It’s the perfect comfort food, ideal for family gatherings or Sunday dinners.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 3 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cutlets (about 8 ounces each)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 3 whites egg whites
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- to taste salt and pepper
- vegetable cooking spray
For the Topping:
- 3 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil minced
- 2 cups tomato sauce warmed
For Tomato Sauce:
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic minced (about 4 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil minced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 475°F and place the oven rack in the center.
For Chicken:
- In a large skillet, combine the panko and olive oil over medium heat, stirring often until the breadcrumbs are golden, which should take around 10 minutes. Once done, transfer them to a shallow dish to cool, then mix in grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
- In another shallow dish, whisk together flour, garlic powder, and a pinch of both salt and pepper. In a third dish, combine egg whites with water until blended.
- Prepare a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and a wire rack on top. Lightly spray the rack with vegetable cooking spray. Pat the chicken dry using paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
- Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dip into egg whites, and finally coat with the toasted panko, pressing lightly to help it adhere. Place the chicken on the prepared rack.
- Lightly spray the top of each chicken cutlet with vegetable cooking spray and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and feels firm.
- Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven, spoon 2 tablespoons of warmed tomato sauce onto each cutlet, and top each with 2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese has completely melted.
For Tomato Sauce:
- While the chicken is baking, prepare the Simple Tomato Sauce. Blend the canned diced tomatoes in a food processor until mostly smooth.
- In a medium pan over medium heat, sauté the minced garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, and red pepper flakes for about 2 minutes, allowing the tomato paste to brown slightly. Stir in the pureed tomatoes and simmer for approximately 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in minced basil, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Keep the sauce warm until you’re ready to serve.
- Finally, serve the chicken with the remaining sauce poured on top, garnished with extra Parmesan, if desired. Enjoy your meal!