What's for Dinner?: Chicken Parmesan

Well the end of the school year has finally arrived and your thinking, sunshine, warm temps, swimming and barbeques. Well this is New England. Instead we get rain, drizzle and cooler temps.  Normally I’d be grilling outside, but tonight its Chicken Parmesan and Spaghetti with Homemade Tomato Sauce and that’s What’s for dinner. I know its basic, but I hope you like it.

This Tomato Sauce recipe is my mom’s and no matter how hard I try to make it just like hers, still doesn’t come out the same way. Close, but not the same. Not sure if it was her pans, her electric stove compared to my gas stove, the amount of time to simmer it, my mom’s was always best! Hope you like it.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Olive Oil

1 large yellow onion

4-5 Cloves of garlic chopped or minced

Red Pepper flakes (few shakes)

Kosher Salt and Pepper

2 Large Cans of Crushed Tomatoes or Ground Peeled Tomatoes

1 Can Tomato Paste

About 1 Can of Water (I use the tomato can and put water in there to swish out the extra sauce on the sides of the can and add to the pot)

Fresh Chopped Basil

Fresh Chopped Parsley

1-2T Dried Oregano (if you use fresh go easy, it’s a lot stronger than dry)

Garlic Salt (eyeball it)

1-2 T Sugar (optional)

Red Wine (optional) gives it a different taste

Tip:  Sometimes my mom use to put in a pork chop or pork sausage to flavor the onions before adding the cans of tomatoes, just really makes the sauce taste richer.

 I like to make this early in the morning so that I can let it simmer all day covered and forget about it.

Directions: Heat olive oil (coat bottom of a large pan) then add diced onion, garlic, kosher salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper. Saute till the onions get soft about 10 mins or so. Then add the 2 Large Cans of tomatoes, can of paste, water, herbs. Bring to a boil, stir and simmer and add sugar and garlic salt, adjust seasoning then simmer and let it go all day or a few hours or even an hour.  I think the longer it cooks the better it tastes. 

I use this sauce to coat the bottom of the pan for my Chicken Parmesan.

Chicken Parmesan:

Boneless Breasts of chicken (pounded thin)

Flour

Egg beaten with a little water

Breadcrumbs (I use seasoned Italian but sometimes I combine Panko Breadcrumbs to the seasoned and then add a handful of Parmesan Cheese) so the chicken gets a nice crunch to it on the outside before adding the mozzarella and additional sauce on top.

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese or Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella (whatever cheese you like)

Directions: Dredge each breast in flour, shake off excess, cover in egg wash, then into the breadcrumbs.  Turn each breast into a frying pan with canola oil that’s been heated and fry on each side till done. Drain on paper towel and repeat. In a 13x9 Pan line the bottom with the tomato sauce, place the cutlet on top then the cheese. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 35-40  mins.

Serve with pasta, a nice tossed salad and Italian bread and that’s what’s for dinner. I hope you enjoy.

Here’s hoping for sunnier warmer days ahead so I can cook outside and not turn my oven on!