Chicken parmigiana was my “usual” during late night binges with friends, at one of the 24-hour diners back in New Haven whose name I am no longer able to recall. Tonight I wanted to try making it for dinner, with the added bonus of being able to use the basil leaves my Mom has in her garden, which are growing really nice and healthy. This dish I based on a recipe by Bill Granger uses pretty common ingredients, and yet turned out really yummy. A real blast from the past!
Chicken Parmigiana
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 400-gram can chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon prune or red grape juice
- A handful of torn basil leaves
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or 100 grams fresh mozzarella, roughly torn)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, salt, sugar, and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until the oil rises to the surface and sauce reduces and thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the chicken, cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until golden, and transfer to a large baking dish.
Pour the tomato sauce over the chicken, top with the mozzarella and sprinkle with Parmesan. Drizzle with a little more olive oil.
Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve with green salad and crusty bread.
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