Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan w. mozzarella, cheese tortellini & goat cheese ravioli  

I was really craving pasta for dinner and we had that awkward amount of both cheese tortellini and sundried tomato and goat cheese ravioli. The kind of left overs that have been sitting in your freezer since neither is enough to constitute a meal on their own. Even together, I knew someone else wouldn't appreciate another meatless meal as I am not someone who needs meat for dinner. So I decided to pair my two pastas with chicken parmesan topped with fresh mozzarella, paired with a traditional red sauce.

Personally I think a knowing how to make a good red sauce is imperative to cooking. Below is a rough recipe for mine, looks a lot like my pizza sauce from Homemade Pizza...., but I encourage you to experiment by adding ingredients for you preference and really make it your own.

Traditional Red Sauce

Tasty Thoughts Traditional Red Sauce: ---------------------------->

1 Tb Olive Oil

2-4 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1 can of Trader Joes Organic Tomato Sauce

1TB Italian seasonings

2 tsp Penzy's Pizza Seasoning

1 tsp Onion powder (or use real onion)

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 tsp Brown Sugar

1 tsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Bring medium sized saucepan to medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic, cook till golden. Add remaining ingredients and let cook for 10 minutes let the sauce bubble but don't let it boil. Test the sauce- see what you think of it- add more garlic, onion or italian seasoning as needed. Continue to let the sauce come together until ready to serve.

As the red sauce is continuing to cook, start on the chicken. I took one large chicken breast and cut it in half for two filets. 

In a bowl beat 1 egg. Cover each chicken filet in the egg mixture let it sit as you prepare the coating.

Coating for the Chicken Parmesan:

In a gallon sized bag place:

1 package of saltine crackers

1 TB Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp pepper

Crush everything together, I find a rolling pin works nicely. Make sure that it is finely crush as it will stick better to the chicken.

               

Remove the chicken from the egg mixture and into the gallon bag with the coating mixture. Shake chicken till fully covered. 

Before cooking the chicken, fill another sauce pan with water and start to bring it to a boil. Add salt as desired. 

Back to the chicken, bring a skillet to medium heat, thrown in a splash of olive oil or a cooking spray. Place the coated chicken filets in pan and let cook for 5 -7 minutes on each side. You may need to add more oil/spray to the pan when you flip. Finally add mozzarella while they are finishing up.

In to the boiling water add the tortellini/ravioli and let cook till they are all floating, right around 3-4 minutes.

Place the crispy chicken on plate along with the pastas and top with the red sauce.