Baked Chicken Parmesan

Who doesn't love chicken parmesan?! We thought we'd go the healthy route last night since I had a week of dining out for some work events. Personally, I don't even miss the fried version when eating this - I think it's just as tasty! You can choose whichever type of pasta you want as well, but I wanted to try some fresh roasted garlic fettuccine that I came across at Whole Foods! This was an easy weeknight meal, so give it a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

1/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts

~ 1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce (Rao's is my ABSOLUTE favorite!)

~ 1 cup shredded pizza blend cheese (mozzarella also works)

dash of Italian seasoning

~1 tb olive oil

dash of salt and pepper (for the chicken and for the pot of water)

16 oz of your favorite pasta (I used fresh roasted garlic fettuccine)

NOTE: These directions include using fresh pasta. If using dry pasta, make sure you allow enough time to cook the pasta while the chicken is cooking in the oven.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Take a sheet pan and line it with aluminum foil, and place a rack on the pan. This will make for really easy clean-up! Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray. In a shallow bowl, combine the panko, italian breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese. Season each chicken breast with a dash of salt and pepper. Brush with olive oil. Dredge each chicken breast with the breadcrumb mixture and place on the rack. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and top each chicken breast with 2 spoonfuls of marinara sauce (enough to cover the chicken breast), and shredded cheese. Cook for another 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.

While the chicken is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. When ready, cook the fresh pasta for ~ 4 minutes. The package for mine said 3 minutes, but it needed 1-2 more minutes in my opinion. When ready, drain the pasta and add back to the pot with your favorite marinara sauce. Stir to combine and serve with the chicken on top, with a dash of Italian seasoning. Enjoy!