Tried and True Chicken Parm

Chicken parmesan is a staple at my house for an easy weeknight dinner.  I realized I haven't posted the recipe so I found a video which is even better.  It shows you how to slice your chicken breasts and pound them out.  This is the secret to pan frying moist chicken breasts.  If you don't pound them out to the same thickness, you end up cooking them until they are dry because the thick end will still be raw when the thin part is done.  Take the extra minute to get this right and you will never go back.

Here's my quick and easy recipe - I don't use the oven because that is just one more step and another dish to clean.  But if I'm cooking for friends and being "fancy" I'll use the oven method in the video.

Chicken Parmesan - quick and easy

large skillet with lid (big enough to hold all 4 pieces of chicken)
2 Tbs olive oil (or more as needed for frying)
4 chicken cutlets (made from two boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise)
wax paper
salt & pepper
1/2 cup flour (or more as needed)
2 eggs (sometimes can use 1 egg and 1 Tbs water)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I use Italian seasoned but you can also use unseasoned or panko)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
fresh mozzarella, sliced
jar of your favorite pasta sauce
cooked pasta noodles (such as vermicelli or spaghetti)

Boil salted water and cook pasta noodles as directed. 
Heat pasta sauce in covered saucepan over low while cooking chicken.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat.  Place chicken cutlets on wax paper on counter.  Place another piece of wax paper over cutlets.  Using a meat mallet, pound chicken cutlets to uniform thickness (approx 1/2 inch).  Discard top piece of wax paper.  Salt and pepper each cutlet on both sides.  Scramble eggs in a wide, shallow bowl.  Combine parmesan and breadcrumbs on a piece of wax paper (use an extra large piece of wax paper with enough room to place all 4 pieces of chicken on it).

Create an assembly line along counter: 
1. wax paper with salted/peppered chicken
2. wax paper with flour
3. bowl of scrambled eggs
4. wax paper with breadcrumbs and parmesan
5. frying pan with hot oil

Coat each piece of chicken with flour and shake off excess, dip chicken in egg and let it drip off a few seconds, then dredge chicken in breadcrumb mixture and place on last piece of wax paper until you have all 4 pieces prepared. 

Test the oil in skillet, take a pinch of breadcrumbs and drop in oil.  If it sizzles then oil is ready.  Place all 4 pieces of chicken in skillet and cook 2 minutes until lightly brown.  Shake pan to make sure the chicken is not stuck and it slides easily (if not you may need more oil or your pan may not be hot enough).  Turn and cook 2 more minutes until browned.  Turn again and place slices of mozzarella on cooked top of each piece of chicken and put a lid on pan.  Cook 1 minute then remove pan from heat and keep covered another 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

To serve, place pasta on plate and put a piece of chicken half way over pasta.  Spoon desired amount of pasta sauce over chicken and pasta.  Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese as desired.