Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti

I found this recipe in the January/February 2014 issue of Cooking Light magazine.  I love Chicken Parmesan and this was so easy and the sauce was so simple.  The Panko bread crumbs give it a great crunch.  Give it a try, I think it might be a favorite.

I just used an emulsion blender so I didn’t dirty another thing. I think you could skip this step.
Be sure you don’t let the chicken brown to fast and not get done.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces uncooked spaghetti
• 2 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted petite-diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil ( I used dry, use less)
• 2 (8-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmigianino-Reggiano cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 2 ounces mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain
2. While pasta cooks, place tomatoes in a food processor; process until almost smooth. Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat.
3. Add red pepper and garlic; cook 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes and 3/4 teaspoon salt; cook 15 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in chopped basil. Toss 1 cup with pasta to keep warm.
4. While sauce is cooking, split each chicken breast in half horizontally to form 2 cutlets. Combine flour, garlic powder, and remaining salt. Sprinkle both sides of cutlets with flour mixture and pat evenly into cutlets.
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5. Shake off any excess flour. Place egg into a shallow dish and stir with a fork. In a separate dish combine panko bread crumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Dip cutlets in egg, then in panko breadcrumb mixture.
6. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and butter to pan; Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned and done. Place chicken on a baking sheet; top with mozzarella. Place under broiler, broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts.
7. Arrange about 1/2 cup pasta mixture on each plate; top each with one cutlet and about 3 tablespoons remaining sauce.
8. Serve