Chicken Parmesan

Photo: flickr user stevendepolo

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloved, minced

2 s bay leaves

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

10 s fresh basil leaves, hand torn

2 s (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1/2 cup flour

2 Eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon water

1 cup dried bread crumbs

8 ounces fresh mozzarella

Fresh Parmesan

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Coat a saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves; cook and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft.

Add the olives and basil. Carefully add the tomatoes, cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/2-inch thick.

Put the flour in a shallow dish and season with a good amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. Put the bread crumbs on a plate, season with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. When the oil is hot, add the cutlets and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once.

Ladle the tomato-olive sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil. Bake the Chicken Parmesan for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.