The Best Homemade Chicken Parmesan

 Ingredients

For Sauce

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sprigs fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan
• 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice

For Chicken

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purposee flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs
• 8 slices or 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add onions and saute for 3 to 4 minutes until tender. Then add in the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
3. To the pan, add the red pepper flakes, dried oregano, and brown sugar and stir.
4. Reduce the heat to low, and add the canned tomatoes and basil to the pan. Simmer for 10-minutes, stirring regularly.
5. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth if desired. Then add ⅓ cup of Parmesan and 1 teaspoon salt to the sauce. Remove from heat and set aside.
6. Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly spread ½ of the prepared sauce onto the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish.
7. Using three shallow dishes, add flour to one, eggs (beaten) to the second, and breadcrumbs in the last.
8. Pat the chicken breasts dry then season both sides with salt.
9. First, dredge the chicken in the flour, then the eggs, then the breadcrumbs to coat.
10. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Once hot, cook the chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown.
11. Place the cooked chicken breasts into the prepared baking dish.
12. Cover the chicken breasts with additional pasta sauce. Add a heaping spoon per breast, but don't cover completely.
13. Top with sliced or shredded mozzarella and an additional sprinkle of Parmesan per chicken breast.
14. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and has reached 165°F internally.