Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

•     1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
•     1 medium onion, chopped
•     2 garlic cloves, minced
•     1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves
•     2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and crushed using a food mill
•     3 to 4 tablespoons of tomato paste
•     Pinch sugar
•     Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
•     4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds)
•     1/2 cup all-purpose flour
•     2 large eggs, lightly beaten
•     1 tablespoon water
•     1 cup panko bread crumbs
•     1 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, water drained
•     Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
•     1 pound spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente
   

Instructions

Step 1: Coat a saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onions and garlic; cook and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft.

Step 2: Carefully add the tomatoes and some hand-torn basil. Cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 45 minutes; season with sugar, salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Step 4: Get the ingredients together for the chicken so you have a little assembly line. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. Put the bread crumbs on a plate, season with salt and pepper.

Step 5: Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/2-inch thick.

Step 6: Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet.

Step 7: Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once.

Step 8: Ladle the tomato sauce over the chicken and lay slices of fresh mozzarella on chicken, parmesan, and basil.

Step 9: Bake the Chicken Parmesan for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot with spaghetti.