Dinner on the Fly: Skillet Parmesan Chicken
It’s no secret that I love Italian food. So, no surprise that I enjoy a good plate of Parmesan (anything) Chicken. Used to be that I would never make it because it took too long, the breading always fell off and it was just easier to order it when I was out. But, I came across a recipe a while back for a skillet Cordon Bleu and realized that it could easily be converted into an Italian dish. By using chicken tenders you trim a ton of time off of the total preparation time. Also, you basically use the “shake n bake” theory - throw it in a bag, shake it and try not to turn it too much in the pan.
I a big fan of skillet recipes, too. Easy cleanup (one pan!) and faster cooking. When it’s done on the stove-top I pop it in the oven and call everyone to dinner. By the time the kids have washed their hands, dinner is done! Everyone needs a good oven proof skillet, and this dish will make good use of it!
If you have an evening where you have to be in and out of the house with dinner cooked and eaten in less than an hour, this is the perfect solution. During the holidays it is a total lifesaver. I make it a lot on Karate night, which is our super busy night. You can make it on art lesson night, basketball practice night, parent teacher conference night . . . well, you get the idea.
Served with a salad and some breadsticks you have a complete meal on the table in about 20 minutes.
Skillet Parmesan Chicken
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs (I like to to the Italian seasoned kind)
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
8 chicken tenders, or about one pound
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup prepared marinara sauce (jarred or homemade)
2 large slices of Mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Combine breadcrumbs, pepper and salt in a plastic zippered bag.
Rinse the chicken tenders and pat them mostly dry. Add them to the bag, seal and shake.
Melt butter and oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium heat.
Use tongs to remove the tenders from the bag and carefully, so as to not remove the breading, place the tenders in the pan. Cook chicken about 4 minutes on each side until lightly brown and done. Do not keep turning the tenders, or you will lose the breading.
Spoon a small amount of marinara sauce over the tender, and top with a small piece of mozzerella cheese. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.
Broil or bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and serve immediately.
2 comments
This is a dream come true for working women. I just hear about this today and after looking at ths sight I can’t wait to try them.
I made this last night and it was a big hit with The Boy.
I dipped the tenders in a mixture of egg&milk prior to breading them and I found that the breading stayed on nice and thick-like all during the cooking process. You might try that so you don’t have to worry about losing the breading in the future?
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