Homemade Chicken Parmesan

    I did not have chicken breasts.  At the store, instead of chicken breasts, I bought chicken tenders.  They were easy to flatten and ended up being so incredibly tender!

    The recipe calls for a jar of Marinara sauce, but I substituted my own sauce.  I have quit buying marinara sauce and spaghetti sauce in jars.  Some time ago I didn’t have a jar of spaghetti sauce, but I did have tomato sauce, petite diced tomatoes and tomato paste. 

    Using those, I created a basic sauce, which is so much more flavorful!   The family agrees, even Will likes it!  I actually wrote it down, tweaked it a few times and for the resulting recipe with directions click here►Homemade Marinara Sauce.

    This recipe is taped to the inside of my cabinet door in the kitchen by my stove.  It was hurriedly handwritten on a piece of torn paper and it gets used a lot!  For the marinara sauce in the Chicken Parmesan recipe, I used two cans of tomato sauce and no diced tomatoes.

 Homemade Chicken Parmesan

10 chicken tenderloins
Salt, pepper and garlic powder
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Olive oil
*1 recipe Homemade Marinara
1 box of Barilla linguini
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced

 

Place the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound flat with a meat mallet until about the same thickness.
Season both sides with salt, garlic powder, and pepper.

Whisk eggs and water in a medium bowl and set to the side.

Mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and the salt in another bowl and set to the side.

Heat about 1/4-inch of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Be careful that the oil doesn’t get too hot. The parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs will burn easily if it’s too hot.

Dip each tenderloin in the egg wash. Dredge the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture and shake off any excess.

Fry chicken on both sides until golden brown. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook a few at a time if necessary.

Place the chicken on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

 

After all of the chicken is cooked, pour half of the marinara sauce into a 13″ x 9″ baking pan. Arrange the browned chicken in a single layer over the sauce. Top the chicken with slices of fresh mozzarella.

Bake at 350° degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

 

Heat the remaining marinara and keep warm.

Cook the pasta in salted water following the manufacturer’s instructions for al dente preparation.

Serve the chicken with pasta, sauce from the pan, and top with some of the remaining marinara sauce. Garnish with fresh grated parmesan and parsley. 

Makes 4 – 6 servings

Not All Tomato Sauce Is The Same

    By the way, I had two different brands of tomato sauce in the pantry when I was making this recipe a few months ago.  I opened them both and decided to taste them to compare flavors.  I can’t believe the difference in flavor!  The Hunt’s brand won out just like their commercial says, the flavor is better and the only brand I buy now.  Have you compared your brands?

    The homemade chicken parmesan tasted delicious!  The chicken was so tender and the fresh mozzarella was so good.  My family loved it!  There was not a morsel left!  It will be added to our favorite recipes.  Try it!  You’ll like it!