Jenn's Chicken Parmesan

Sugarmagnolia_fl's Note:

I just thought this up one day and fell in love with it.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons water
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ½-¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ vidalia onion , diced
• 1 -2 fresh garlic clove , minced
• ½ pint fresh mushrooms , cleaned and quartered
• 1 pint grape tomatoes , rinsed
• 1⁄3; lb whole wheat spaghetti , cooked and drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil , chopped
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese , shredded
• ½ cup parmesan cheese , shredded
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Set a big pot of water to boil for the pasta. Cook as directed.
2. Put each chicken breast, one at a time, into a gallon-size zippie bag. Use a kitchen mallet or a heavy skillet to pound the chicken to about 1/2 inch thick. This is a great step for getting out frustrations.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the egg and the water.
4. Now, you want to have a station set up for this next part. A plate with flour, a plate with the egg and a plate with the breadcrumbs. With each chicken breast you need to coat each breast in this order: flour, egg wash then breadcrumbs.
5. After each breast has been properly coated, set them on a plate to the side.
6. In a medium skillet, saute diced onion in 1 Tbs olive oil until they turn opaque, about 4-5 minutes, then add the red pepper flake and the mushrooms and saute and additional 6-8 minutes. Then add the grape tomatoes to the skillet. Let them saute for a few minutes until they soften, then using your wooden spoon, crush each tomato. If it's too hard to crush, let it cook just a bit longer.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste, and continue cooking until tomatoes are very soft and mixed with the rest of the veggies. Right at the end, add half of the chopped basil.
8. You should be cooking the chicken at the same time that you are cooking the sauce. When you are waiting on the onions and/or mushrooms to cook, this is a good time to get the chicken going.
9. Preheat 1 TBS olive oil in another large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Also, preheat your broiler.
10. Cook the chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes then flip and cook 3-4 additional minutes.
11. After each breast is cooked in the skillet, place them on a baking sheet and top with some of the sauce, then top with a mixture of both cheeses. Place under the preheated broiler until cheese is melted and golden bubbly.
12. While this is working, toss the cooked pasta with the remaining tomato mushroom sauce.
13. Plate some pasta and a chicken breast on each plate and top with remaining freshly chopped basil.