Chicken Parmesan

This is one of my favorite weeknight meals.  It is simple and delicious.  Skipping the breading process makes it easy and lower in carbs (which is good for me because I have a feeling I am borderline diabetic).  You can make it with chicken breasts as Giada De Laurentiis does but I prefer boneless chicken thighs.

{Sorry, I know I discriminate against chicken breasts in this blog.  It's not the chicken breast, it's me.  Chicken breast is good but it's just not my thing.... I am weird in that I'd eat the gizzard, the liver and the chicken heart before the chicken breast.}

Anyhow, when a recipe calls for breasts I substitute boneless thighs.  I pound it thin, to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick so it cooks even and quicker.  That's what I did in this recipe.  Also I never liked chicken parmesan because of the breading involved but this recipe changed that.  I happen to dislike breading, except on a very very few dishes.

The chicken in this dish always comes out moist and very flavorful.  Definitely make the marinara sauce / tomato sauce from scratch if you are not in a rush, but store bought comes out good nonetheless.

Serve with garlic bread, pasta or salad to complete the meal.

Chicken Parmesan

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, pound into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher Salt 

Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups store bought marinara sauce ( I like Trader Joes or Giada's from Target)
6 tablespoons shredded mozzarella
6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter cut into 6 pieces

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Mix the oil and herbs then brush it into each side of the chicken cutlets.  Season chicken with salt and pepper.  

Heat a heavy bottomed oven-proof skillet over high heat and cook the chicken until just brown about 3 minutes on each side.  Turn off heat.

Working very quickly, spoon the marinara sauce over each cutlet and around it.  After that, sprinkle 1 tablespoon mozzarella then 1 tablespoon parmesan in each cutlet.  Top each cutlet with the butter.

Place chicken in the oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes (3-5 minutes if using breasts) until the chicken is cooked through.