Deck's Chicken Parmesan

Some evenings call for a quick and easy meal, but that doesn't mean that flavor has to be sacrificed (something I now understand).  Tonight was one of those evenings, so I broke out one of my sure fire, simple and delicious recipes; Chicken Parmesan.  I'll admit that I cheated a little bit on this one, using a pre-made sauce instead of doing my own.  As my cooking evolves, so to will this recipe.  But for now, it is a great flavorful dish for the working professional.

Deck's Chicken Parmesan


Serves 2 (with some leftovers)


Ingredients:

2 Bone-in, Skin-On Chicken Breasts
1/4 - 1/2 cup of Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tbsp Butter
Salt and Pepper
3 cups Marinara Sauce (I prefer the Whole Foods 365 Brand)
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup buttermilk blue cheese
1/2 cup Shredded Parmesan cheese
Angel Hair Pasta or Spaghetti

Step 1:  Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a skillet or pan that you will be able to place in the oven.  At the same time, preheat your oven to 350, and put some salted water on to boil for your pasta.


Step 2:  Remove the bone and skin from the chicken.  Then season with some salt and pepper.

Cook's note:  I prefer to purchase the bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts feeling that these help keep the chicken breasts nice and moist (not to mention being a little cheaper).  I also try and avoid freezing the chicken so that it doesn't lose any of the natural moisture.

Step 3:  Melt the butter in a dish that will be big enough to lay the chicken breasts in.  While the butter is in the microwave, combine the blue cheese, balsamic vinegar and marinara sauce in a sauce pan over medium heat.  You can also add any type of herbs here (I prefer oregano and basil), as well as some fresh ground black pepper.

Step 4:  Brush a little bit of the melted butter on each side of the chicken breast.  You just want to put a thin layer on.  Add the bread crumbs to the remaining butter and mix together.

Step 5:  Coat the chicken breasts in the bread crumbs, and add to the heated oil.  Cook for about 2 minutes, and then flip over (you want to cook just long enough to brown the bread crumbs, but not cook all the way through).  Cook for another minute, and put directly into the pre-heated oven.

This would be a good time to put your pasta in the water as well.

Step 6:  After about five minutes, pull the pan out of the oven, and pour the sauce directly over the chicken breasts.  Put the pan back in the oven.

Step 7:  After another 5 minutes, pull the pan out, add the cheese, and put back in the oven long enough to melt the cheese.

To serve:  Remove from the oven.  Put some of the pasta on the plate.  Add some of the sauce directly to the pasta.  Then place a chicken breast on top of the pasta, add cheese to your taste, and enjoy!