Chicken Parmesan

Quick – you just arrived home from work or piano lessons or soccer practice and you’ve got to get dinner on the table.  What do you do?  Head to your freezer and make Chicken Parmesan.  It is not labor intensive and you can keep most items stocked in your pantry and freezer.  My kids give this a “Mom, I love this dinner” (which is not a daily exclamation) so enjoy!  And don’t let the asparagus fool you – the kids don’t eat that.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

1. Bell & Evans breaded, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Whole Foods stocks these in the freezer section)
2. Jar of your favorite pasta sauce – I like Classico's Four Cheese
3. Mozzarella slices
4. Spaghetti

Preheat oven to 375.  Boil water for spaghetti.

Bake chicken at 375 for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked to at least 170 degrees*.  While chicken is baking and there’s about 10 minutes left, cook the spaghetti for about 10 minutes. 



Assembly is as easy as 1-2-3

When the chicken is done (to at least 170 degrees - this is important because (a) you don’t want to get anyone sick and (b) Bell & Evans chicken breasts are raw – they are not pre-cooked), spoon pasta sauce on top of baked chicken breast.  Top with a slice of mozzarella cheese.  Return chicken to oven and place under broiler until cheese melts and starts to turn brown and bubble.  Serve the chicken parm on top of spaghetti.

* meat thermometer - I love my meat thermometer because I'm spastic about cooking food to the proper temperature.  I use the Maverick Redi Fork Pro.  I purchased it at Barbecues Galore but Bed Bath and Beyond has it as well.