Parmesan Chicken and Marinara Sauce

We all need more crowd-pleasing recipes like this Parmesan Chicken and Marinara Sauce. If one of your new year’s resolutions is to have more dinner parties, please allow me to entertain you. This recipe is winner, winner chicken dinner every time. Literally. It’s just too bad the chicken had to become dinner to win this race.

It’s loaded with flavor when the chicken is cooked to the perfect temperature and the topping uses salad croutons instead of plain breadcrumbs, so everyone will be asking you for more dinner parties. Be careful what you wish for.

Parmesan Chicken and Marinara Sauce

Makes 4-8 servings.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Parmesan Chicken

• 3 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
•  1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3 cups salad croutons (garlic or Italian flavored recommended), ground up in a food processor
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• Sea salt
• Coarse ground pepper
• Raw marinara topping (optional for a refreshing, healthy twist) – see recipe below

If using chicken breasts, it’s best to butterfly pieces & pound to make them all a similar size which will allow for them to bake evenly. To butterfly, lay piece of chicken out flat onto cutting board. Cut from the thickest side, inward until almost all the way through the piece. After cutting, lay them out flat onto a piece of saran wrap, covered loosely (allowing for room to spread when pounded). Place on a cutting board and pound with a kitchen mallet until all parts of the chicken breast are about the same thickness.

Dip chicken pieces in melted butter. Toss parmesan cheese and ground-up salad croutons together into a bowl. Coat buttered chicken with the breading mixture. Place on a baking sheet – half sheet pan works well). Bake in a preheated oven until chicken is 165°F degrees in the thickest parts (usually about 30 minutes).

Raw Marinara Sauce

• 5 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 small yellow onion, chopped finely
• 3 sprigs fresh basil leaves, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Sea salt
• Coarse ground pepper

Stir together all ingredients. Salt & pepper to taste, stir, and set aside while baking chicken. Place sauce in a serving bowl so dinner guests can top chicken right before eating.

Lovely pairings: Beautiful World Bread, Northwest Summer Salad or Perfect Mushroom Risotto.

You’re welcome. I’m sorry. You’re welcome.