Mozzarella Chicken Parmesan
This is a great comfort food recipe. And it’s really easy to make! If you don’t have time to make the crispy crust on the chicken before baking it, simply cook the chicken on both sides in a little olive oil with salt and pepper before adding to the baking dish.
Mozzarella Chicken Parmesan
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 to 35 minutes
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
2 pounds (910 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1
Baking Flour
½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons (75 ml) olive oil
One 24-ounce (680-g) jar marinara sauce or tomato-basil sauce
8 ounces (225 g) fresh mozzarella, cut into ⅓-inch-(8-mm-) thick slices
1 cup (145 g) cherry tomatoes
¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil leaves
Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
On a cutting board and using a large, sharp knife, cut each chicken breast in half horizontally. Pound each piece of chicken to an even ½-inch (12-mm) thickness with a meat pounder.
Add the eggs to a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the flour with ¼ cup (25 g) of the Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
Using tongs, dip each piece of chicken into the eggs, letting any excess egg drop back into the bowl. Coat with the flour mixture on both sides, shaking off any excess flour. Transfer to a plate and repeat with all the chicken.
In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat until it’s shimmering. Working in two batches and using tongs, cook the chicken, leaving space between each piece, until golden brown and crisp on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chicken and continue to cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
Transfer the chicken to a paper towel–lined plate. Wipe out the pan, add 2 tablespoons of the oil, and repeat to cook the remaining chicken.
In a 9 by 13-inch (23 by 33-cm) baking dish, spread ½ cup (120 ml) of the marinara sauce into an even layer with a rubber spatula. Arrange the chicken pieces on the sauce in a single layer, then pour the remaining sauce around and over the chicken.
Top each piece of chicken with some of the fresh mozzarella, then sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup (25 g) of Parmesan cheese.
Sprinkle the cherry tomatoes around the dish, then drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over it all.
Bake until the cheese has melted and is starting to bubble and the tomatoes have softened a bit, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the fresh basil leaves and serve.
Homemade Lasagna
In this recipe we use no-boil gluten-free noodles and jarred pasta sauce.
Jarred pasta sauces have come a long way—it’s now easy to find organic, tomato-based pasta sauces that aren’t loaded with sugar and cost only a few bucks.
You can assemble the lasagna in the morning and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it, or bake it over the weekend. It can easily be reheated by the slice all week long. Add a layer of Classic Basil Pesto.
You can vary this recipe by adding 2 cups (240 g) cooked and crumbled Italian sausage to the tomato sauce; folding 2 cups (160 g) of finely diced, sautéed zucchini or eggplant into the tomato sauce; or replacing the mozzarella with smoked mozzarella for a smoky flavor.
Homemade Lasagna
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 55 to 75 minutes
Makes 8 to 12 servings
Ingredients
4 cups (1 pound/455 g) shredded mozzarella
¾ cup (75 g) grated Parmesan
15 ounces (430 g) whole-milk ricotta
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Two (25-ounce/710g) jars tomato-basil or marinara sauce
1 package (12 noodles) no-bake lasagna noodles (regular or gluten-free)
½ cup (120 ml) pesto, homemade or store-bought
Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup (110g) of the mozzarella and ¼ cup (25g) of the Parmesan. Set aside to top the lasagna.
In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 3 cups (330 g) of mozzarella with the ricotta and remaining ½ cup (50 g) of Parmesan. Stir to combine. Taste, adding a few grindings of pepper if desired. Add the egg and stir to combine.
To assemble the lasagna, spread a few tablespoons of tomato sauce across the bottom of an 8 by 12-inch (20 by 30.5-cm) or 9 by 13-inch (23 by 33-cm) baking dish.
Place 4 of the lasagna noodles crosswise in the pan, letting them overlap a bit if necessary. (If the noodles you are using cover the length of the pan, place 3 of the noodles lengthwise to create the first layer.)
Drop half of the ricotta cheese mixture in spoonfuls across the noodles. Spread it out evenly with a rubber spatula. Pour half of the pesto over the ricotta mixture and spread it out evenly with the spatula. Then spread one third of the tomato sauce over to cover evenly.
Repeat with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, the remaining pesto, and one-third of the tomato sauce. Add the final layer of noodles, then the remaining tomato sauce, ensuring the noodles are totally covered with the sauce. Sprinkle the reserved cheese mixture over the entire lasagna.
Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake until the lasagna is bubbling hot and the noodles are tender, 50 to 60 minutes. To test, lift a corner of the foil and insert a paring knife into the lasagna; it should pierce the noodles easily. If the noodles are not done, cover and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
When cooked, remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown. Let the lasagna cool for 20 to 30 minutes before cutting it into squares and serving.