Chicken Parmesan

One of my favorite meals has always been chicken parmesan. It's probably Spencer's all-time favorite, and I have to admit that the way he taught me how to make it is extra good. Chicken parm is pretty simple, but there are a few things that we like to do to bring it to the next level of deliciousness. The first is to use tenderloins instead of chicken breast. The tenderloins are usually more moist, cook more quickly, and I prefer thinner slices of chicken. The second is to use seasoned bread crumbs, parmesan, and garlic powder for the breading. Since we rarely have tons of time to cook we keep it simple and use either my mom's pre-made, crazy good spaghetti sauce or sauce out of a jar ( I'm not a picky eater, but I tend to be a spaghetti sauce snob so only certain brands make the cut!). 

It's a super easy meal so there isn't a real recipe, but here's how we make it (and in true Spencer form, we don't measure anything out). Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Thaw out about eight to ten tenderloins, which will make four to five servings. Next, mix seasoned bread crumbs with a little bit of Parmesan cheese and a couple pinches of garlic powder. We probably use around a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese. Mix the it together. Then, dip the tenderloins in beaten egg and coat with the bread crumb mix. 

Sous chef Harvey

Add a thin layer of oil to a pan and place the tenderloins in the oil over medium heat. Place a lid on the pan to speed up cooking. Cooking times vary a lot depending on the size of the tenderloin, but it shouldn't take any more than ten minutes (about five on each side). Adjust the heat and cooking times as needed - decrease the heat if the coating looks like its getting too crispy and check the chicken to make sure its  just a tad juicy in the middle when you take it off the heat. Remember to boil water in a saucepan for the spaghetti. 

Next, place a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom of a casserole dish for easy clean-up. Add the tenderloins and spoon sauce over each one. Add a generous amount of mozzarella cheese, and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top. Slide the dish into the oven and cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and browned slightly. Add spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Place pasta onto a plate, add sauce and a couple tenderloins and your ready to enjoy a delicious meal.