Every so often we all get cravings for specific foods and we just won’t be satisfied until we get what we want. This happened to me the other night when I was craving my mother’s Chicken Parmesan! However, my apartment pantry is not well stocked, so I found a creative and very simple way to fulfill my craving without buying extra ingredients. This recipe really came about when I tried to follow a traditional recipe for Chicken Parmesan and had no breadcrumbs. Instead, I crushed up Cheese-it Crackers! Yes it sounds strange, but this recipe has become a staple in my apartment, and is now one of my boyfriend’s favorite meals!
Note: One thing I am not fond of is how the cooking community refuses to make recipes for anything less than 4-6 servings. We are all college students, and we cook for one. I usually make this recipe for two servings.
Ingredients:
- 1 skinless boneless chicken breast
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2/3rd cup Cheese-Its
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Jar of Tomato Sauce
- Dehydrated Onions (Minced or Flaked)
- Dehydrated Garlic (Minced or Flaked)
- Dried Basil
- Olive Oil
Preparation:
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and warm a skillet on medium with a 1/3rd cup olive oil.
- Create the breading mixture by crushing up 2/3rds cup Cheese-its (I do this in a plastic bag) and adding two tablespoons grated parmesan and a teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken into the breading mixture and evenly coating both sides of the chicken.
- Put the breaded chicken breast into the skillet with the hot oil. Let the chicken brown on both sides (about 3 minutes per side) then remove from skillet.
- Place the chicken in an oven-safe dish, preferably a small casserole dish, and place in the 425° oven for 17-20 minutes- until the juices of the chicken run clear.
- As the chicken is cooking, remove the oil from the skillet using a paper towel. Then add 1 tablespoon olive oil into the skillet on medium heat.
- Add 3/4 cup tomato sauce and heat. To my tomato sauce I typically add a tablespoon dehydrated onion, half a tablespoon of dehydrated garlic, 2 teaspoons of dried basil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Once the chicken is done, remove it from the oven, unto a plate, and pour the tomato sauce over the chicken, and sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese! You can have this as a main dish with a side salad, or serve it over your favorite pasta! Bon Appétit!