Gaida's Chicken Parmesan

By Thom7747

This is a Chicken Parmesan recipe that will become a family favorite. The homemade tomato sauce makes it special, but feel free to by store bought, if you are in a rush. Serve with a side of pasta, with more sauce.

Ingredients

• SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE:
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 (3 ounces each) chicken cutlets
• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, or Simple Tomato Sauce (below)
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 16 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (32 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 4 to 6 basil leaves
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 45mins
Cooking time 212mins
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Stir the oil and herbs in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a heavy large oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of mozzarella over each cutlet, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Parmesan over each. Sprinkle the butter pieces atop the cutlets. Bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Simple Tomato Sauce:

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.

Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.

If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.