Cheesy Chicken Dish (Printable Version)

Crisped chicken loaded with melty mozzarella and paired with savory marinara.

# Ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless (about 1.4 kg or 2 ½ to 3 pounds in total)
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt (6 g)
03 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder (2 g)
04 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (1 g)

→ Cheese and Seasoning

05 - ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, split into two portions
06 - ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (73 g), used in two portions
07 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (227 g), divided into two parts

→ Breading and Coating

08 - 1 ¼ cups (95 g) of panko or standard bread crumbs
09 - ¾ cup of all-purpose flour (107 g)
10 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
11 - ¼ cup olive oil (75 ml), with 1 extra tablespoon split for cooking

→ Sauce and Garnish

12 - Some fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced (about ¼ cup or 5 g)
13 - 1 teaspoon parsley, chopped (1 g)
14 - 2 cups marinara sauce (480 ml)

# Steps:

01 - Position your oven rack slightly above the bottom row. Heat it up to 425ºF (191ºC).
02 - Use a paper towel to pat dry each chicken breast. On the thicker side, carefully slice a pocket about 4 or 5 inches long and 2 or 3 inches deep, keeping one edge intact. Do this for all the chicken pieces. Mix garlic powder, pepper, and kosher salt in a dish, and sprinkle it over both sides evenly.
03 - Take each chicken pocket and fill it with about 3 tablespoons of mozzarella, a tablespoon of parmesan, and a tiny pinch (about ⅛ teaspoon) of Italian seasoning. Secure the opening with toothpicks to keep the stuffing inside.
04 - Set up three shallow bowls. One holds the flour, the second has whisked eggs mixed with olive oil, and the third combines breadcrumbs with ¼ cup of parmesan cheese. Coat each chicken piece in flour, shake off extras, dip completely in the egg mixture, and then press into the breadcrumbs. Keep repeating until they’re all done.
05 - Warm up a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven on medium heat. Pour ¼ cup of olive oil into the pan. Once it’s shimmering, add the chicken with the side you'd like to present facing down. Let it cook for 4–5 minutes until crispy and golden, then flip and cook for another 4–5 minutes on the other side. Once done, turn off the heat.
06 - Spoon 2 tablespoons of marinara onto the top of every chicken breast. Pour the remaining sauce around the chicken into the skillet. Sprinkle each piece with the leftover mozzarella.
07 - Pop the pan into the oven. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browning a little. The inside of the chicken should register 160–165ºF (71–74ºC) on a meat thermometer.
08 - If the sauce seems too heavy, stir in a small splash of water to thin it out. Before you plate, sprinkle over the sliced basil and chopped parsley.