Food Friday ~ Chicken Parmesan

This recipe was time consuming, but I wanted a "gourmet", from scratch, recipe, for hubbie's birthday.  It was good.  But we are not used to eating this "heavy".  Very filling!  See all the stuff on my counter below?  ALOT going on!

Yesterday was my husband's 40th birthday!  I always ask the birthday person what they want for dinner and I make it.  Hubby asked for Chicken Parmesan.  I have never made that before, so I went searching online. 
I found several recipes, but this one just sounded the best.

Sauce:
1/2 large yellow onion
1/4 C olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
1 t dried oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Pink of sugar

Chicken:
4 chicken breast cutlets (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds total)
Salt
2 eggs
1 C bread crumbs
1 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C olive oil
2 T fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
8 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced

Method
1.  Prepare the sauce.  Coarsely grate half of an onion.  Grating the onion will create smaller onion pieces and release more of the onion's juices, and is faster than chopping. (I will never grate another onion as long as I live)  Heat olive oil in a saucepan on medium-high heat.  Add the onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add the minced garlic.  Cook until fragrant, about a minute more.  Then add the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and sugar.  Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to maintain the simmer.  Cook, uncovered while you prepare the chicken (about 10-12 minutes, unless your name is Prudence then it will take 25 minutes).

2.  Preheat oven to 400.  Working one at a time, place a chicken cutlet between two layers of wax paper or plastic wrap.  With a meat pounder, pound the chicken pieces to flatten them to an even thickness-between 1/4-1/2 inch.  Salt the chicken pieces well.

3.  In a shallow bowl (large enough to dredge the cutlets), mix together the breadcrumbs, 1/2 C of the parmesan, and a pinch of salt.  In separate shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs.

4.  Heat 1/4 C of olive oil in a large saute pan on medium-high heat.  The oil should be shimmering, not smoking.  Dredge the chicken pieces 1 at a time first in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumbs.  Then lay the pieces in the hot saute pan.  Turn the heat to medium, then gently fry the cutlets until they are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.

5.  Spread enough tomato sauce to thickly coat the bottom of 9x13 casserole pan or baking dish.  Once the cutlets are browned on both sides, arrange them on top of the tomato sauce in the baking dish.  Place sauce over each of the cutlets.  Sprinkle the tops with sliced basil.  Then top the cutlets with slices of mozzarella and the remaining 1/2 C of parmesan cheese.

6.  Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the mozzarella begines to brown.

Serve with spaghetti and the remaining sauce, or in a large roll.

Serves 4

So there it is!  It was good.  But next time I will probably use an easier recipe.