Ingredients
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2 medium garlic cloves, minced or put through garlic press
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1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
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1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
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1/2 teaspoon dried basil
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1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
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table salt
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ground black pepper
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1/2-1 cup dry breadcrumbs
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2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (8 ounces each)
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1/4 cup olive oil
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3/4 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
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ground black pepper
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table salt
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1 large egg
Instructions
- For Sauce:.
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat garlic and oil together over medium-high heat until garlic starts to sizzle.
- Stir in tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, a pinch of salt, and a couple of grinds of pepper; bring to a simmer.
- Continue to simmer until sauce thickens a bit and flavors meld, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Taste sauce, adjusting salt if necessary; Cover and keep warm.
- Chicken Parmesan:.
- Bring 2 to 3 quarts of water to boil in a large soup kettle.
- Beat egg and a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small pie plate or other shallow dish until completely broken up.
- Mix bread crumbs, a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a grind or two of pepper in another small pie plate or shallow baking dish.
- Preheat broiler.
- To Prepare Chicken Breasts:.
- Halve breasts horizontally to form two cutlets. (Cut this way, they need little or no pounding).
- *If pounding or using small breasts:
- Pour 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil in the center of a sheet of plastic wrap; Turn one cutlet in the oil to coat; top with a second sheet of plastic wrap and pound gently to an even 1/4-inch thickness; Repeat with remaining cutlets, adding additional oil as needed.*.
- Working with one at a time, dip both sides of each cutlet in the beaten egg, then in the bread crumb mixture.
- Set cutlets on large wire rack set over a jelly roll pan.
- Add 2 teaspoons salt and the spaghetti to the boiling water. Boil while cutlets sauté (next step).
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch skillet.
- When oil starts to shimmer, add cutlets and sauté until golden brown on each side, about 5 to 6 minutes total.
- Wash and dry wire rack and return to jelly roll pan.
- Transfer cutlets to wire rack and top each with equal portions of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
- Place pan of cutlets 4 to 5 inches from heat source and broil until cheese melts and is spotty brown, about 3 minutes.
- Drain spaghetti.
- Transfer a chicken cutlet and a portion of spaghetti to each of 4 plates. Spoon two or three tablespoons of sauce over part of each cutlet, then sauce the spaghetti as desired.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmesan passed separately.