Italian Lovers Chicken Parmesan

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2/3 cup fine dry breadcrumb
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Recipe

• 1 to make tomato sauce:.
• 2 heat 1 tb oil in medium saucepan over medium heat.
• 3 cook and stir bell pepper, onion, celery and garlic in hot oil 5 minutes.
• 4 stir in tomatoes and juice, broth, tomato paste, parsley, sugar, basil, salt and black pepper.
• 5 cover and simmer over low heat 20 minutes.
• 6 uncover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes more or until sauce thickens, stirring frequently.
• 7 set aside.
• 8 beat egg in a shallow bowl.
• 9 spread flour and bread crumbs on a separate plate.
• 10 dip chicken pieces first in flour, then in egg, then in bread crumbs, pressing firmly to coat chicken evenly.
• 11 heat butter and 2 tb oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
• 12 add chicken and brown well on both sides.
• 13 preheat over to 350 degrees.
• 14 remove chicken to an ungreased 9x13 inch baking dish.
• 15 sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over chicken.
• 16 spoon reserved tomato sauce evenly over cheese.
• 17 sprinkle parmesan cheese over tomato sauce.
• 18 drizzle remaining 1tb oil over top.
• 19 bake, uncovered for approximately 30 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees.