#Recipe | Jill's Cooking

Chicken is probably one of the most versatile dishes to make. It is used in many American, Italian, Mexican, Spanish, Indian and Chinese recipes. Besides pasta, chicken is generally something that children and adults will eat without too much fuss. One of my go-to and our family’s all-time favorite is Chicken Parmesan.

I usually make Chicken Parmesan from memory, which means it isn’t always the same. No fear! I have my recipe binder with one I saved from Bon Appetit when my children were younger. The following is sure to be a family winner.

Basic Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 3/4 cup chopped onions

4 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup peeled, grated and coarsely chopped carrots (you can use a Cuisinart)

3 TBSP thyme

2 28 ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes in juice (I use Italbrand Italian Peeled, San Marzano Whole Peeled or Muir Glen Whole Peeled)

Chicken

10 skinless boneless chicken breasts halved to 1/3″ thickness (you can buy the thin cut chicken breasts or cut whole ones diagonally through the center. A butcher will cut and flatten them for you or you can use a mallet or rolling pin to do it yourself.)

3 cups breadcrumbs (you can purchase Progresso Italian Style or Italian Panko or I like using ALEIAs Original Real Panko that is gluten free)

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup all purpose flour

6 TBSP olive oil, divided

3 cups shredded mozzarella, divided

1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided

2 TBSP chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 TBSP chopped fresh marjoram

5-6 Basil leaves torn

Preparation:

Step 1

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic; saute until onions are soft and translucent about 10 minutes. Add carrots and thyme; saute until the carrots are soft about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice; bring to a boil, coarsely mash the tomatoes as they cook. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer until the sauce begins to thicken and reduce to about 5 cups about 1 hour. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Spread breadcrumbs on plate. Whisk eggs to blend in medium bowl. Spread flour on another plate. Coat both sides of chicken with flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 2 TBSP oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken to skillet and cook until brown, about 2 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed. Transfer chicken to a platter. Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of a 15x10x12 inch glass baking dish. Arrange one layer of chicken over the sauce. Spoon 2 cups sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, Parmesan and Pecorino over. Repeat with remaining chicken, sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan and Pecorino. Bake until cheeses melt and chicken is cooked through about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, marjoram and basil leaves before serving.

Serve over angel hair or thin spaghetti pasta with a Caesar Salad and Garlic Bread.

Few notes:

To save time, you can substitute the tomato sauce recipe for your favorite jarred pasta sauce. This isn’t something I do but it’ll save valuable time for a quick but delicious dinner.
I sometimes buy the Belgioioso Fresh Mozzarella and slice it thinly. I place this on top of the chicken along with the Parmesan and Pecorino. I prefer it to the shredded mozzarella cheese but both work.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

A few months ago, I finally decided to write a food blog since cooking has been my passion since I was 15 years old. Like many, I enjoy planning menus and shopping for ingredients. I often look in our (or someone else’s) refrigerator and cabinets and challenge myself to create something delicious with the items on hand. Or, I’ll read a cookbook or cooking magazine cover to cover to search for the perfect recipe(s).

I’m told that cooking and baking for a party is one of my super powers as it is something I do effortlessly. Chopping, measuring, mixing, folding, stirring, sautéing, roasting, frying, basting are all things that bring me great joy. I absolutely love being in the kitchen to create deliciousness for the people in my life.

Although, I do have a day job in a completely different industry, I have (and will) cater dinner parties, weddings, graduations and birthdays. Over the years, I’ve been asked countless times for recipes or suggestions from family and friends. My daughter calls or texts regularly from the East Coast to ask what she should make based upon the items in her refrigerator or pantry.

That’s when I go to work and search my extensive database of recipes accumulated over 35+ years. It is this scrumptious food library that is the impetuous of my nostalgic but modern food-lovers site!

My challenge for this first post was the recipe to share. I literally have hundreds and hope you enjoy my choice that was the main course for a recent dinner party with friends and my spouse’s favorite.

You’ll find that my recipes are easy and delicious. Bottom line, I want you to have confidence in the kitchen. And soon, you’ll realize there is no need to fear the pork chop as long as you follow the recipe below (and do not over cook them).

Simple but Elegant Pan-Seared Bone-In or Tomahawk Pork Chops (one of my favorite recipes I found a few years ago that my spouse loves)

2 TBSP olive oil

Two 12-oz bone-in or tomahawk pork chops (1″ thick)

1 TBSP each Pink Himalayan Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper (I have both in grinders because I like them coarse but you can use your favorites)

6 TBSP unsalted butter

Thyme leaves from 4 sprigs

4 Garlic cloves, smashed

Season pork chops on both sides with the salt and pepper
In a large skillet (or I use a cast iron, grill pan), heat the olive oil over medium high heat and add the pork chops
Sear the pork chops, flipping once for 4-5 minutes on each side. Then, remove from the pan to a plate
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, thyme and garlic until melted and fragrant, about 1 minute
Return the pork chops to the pan. Cook and flip once. Baste constantly with the butter sauce until the pork chops reach 140 degrees (do yourself a favor and purchase a good, quality meat thermometer. Pork is generally done at 145 degrees but will continue cooking when you remove them from the pan. Do not overcook them or you’ll have dry chops)
Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before serving or carving into thick slices

Serves two but you can double, triple or quadruple the recipe. I like to serve these with Spinach Sautéed with Lemon, Kale and Wild Mushrooms or Roasted Butternut Squash with Fresh Herbs. For a starch, you can add Garlic and Rice Pilaf, Brown Rice, Mashed Potatoes or polenta. These are all excellent choices!

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

Chicken Parmesan

Elegant, Pan-seared, Bone-in Pork Chops