BAKED CHICKEN PARMESAN

Baked chook Parmesan – skinless, boneless fowl breast is lined in bread crumbs, minced garlic and shredded Parmesan cheese and baked in the oven with the marinara sauce and Mozzarella cheese.

This Baked chook Parmesan is so versatile.  you could serve it with a salad and a garlic bread on the aspect, over a bed of linguine with some more marinara sauce; over spaghetti squash or real spaghetti, over a few ravioli, and many others. – something comes to your mind or something suites your dietary recommendations!

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 lb chicken breasts , skinless, boneless or 4 thin chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup olive oil (1 tablespoon of oil for each breast)
• 4 cloves garlic , minced
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs dry, such as Panko crumbs
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese , finely shredded
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese , shredded
• salt and pepper

For garnish:

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese , finely grated
• 1/4 cup green onions , finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 Fahrenheit. Spray a baking dish or baking sheet with olive oil spray.
2. Coat chicken breasts in olive oil. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, to your taste. Combine 1/2 cup bread crumbs and 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese - Roll each chicken breast in this bread-cheese mixture. Combine minced garlic with the remaining shredded cheese and press this mixture on top of each cutlet, pressing lightly to adhere.
3. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes, remove from oven, put 1/4 cup of marinara sauce over each breast, top with the desired amount of mozzarella cheese. When putting marinara sauce over the breasts, do not cover 100% of the breast, just a small center portion - that way your chicken will still be super crunchy and crusty in the sections where it's not covered with the marinara sauce (see my photos). 
5. Return to oven and continue baking for about 10 more minutes, until chicken bounces back when pressed, is no longer pink and juices run clear, and until cheese is melted. You can even use a broiler for this step - but be very careful and watch the chicken to make sure the cheese doesn't burn.
6. Garnish with finely grated Parmesan cheese and finely chopped green onions.