Oven Roasted Chicken Parmesan with Blistered Tomatoes

Oven Roasted Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan, or Chicken Parmigiana, is an Italian-American dish, derived from Eggplant Parmigiana, which is prepared mostly the same way. At every Italian restaurant I go to, I see Chicken Parmesan on the menu, but I  almost never get it. The few times that I do, I'm disappointed. It's always prepared the same. A piece of chicken, battered in breadcrumbs, fried, and topped with a slab of cheese, served next spaghetti and marinara sauce. I knew there had to be a way to improve this, so I set out to find it.

The Recipe:

The Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
• 4 Boneless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 Package Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
• 4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 Tablespoons of Butter
• Olive Oil
• Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
• Pasta

The Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the Panko bread crumbs and cheese in a bowl with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, coat the chicken breasts in the melted butter. Transfer each chicken breast to the bread crumb mixture individually to coat with bread crumbs. Lay on a greased sheet pan to go in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and add a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic until golden. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. I like a little spice to mine, so I add some crushed red pepper flakes. It is important to make sure the heat is not too high here, because the tomatoes will burn and not blister, which is not we're looking for. Stir the tomatoes occasionally to make sure all sides are cooked. These will take about 15 to 20 minutes

Serve with pasta. I used penne, but any kind will do. If you want a little more cheese, sprinkle some additional Parmesan top.

Happy Eating!