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Chicken Parmesan Bake
​A simple, scrumptious supper!

Meet the Chef: Marissa Joinson
Meet the Rehabilitation Teacher: Carolyn Ovesen

Learn As You Cook
Making the Chicken Parmesan also presents an opportunity to practice meal prep and cooking skills while learning safe low vision and non-visual techniques from Carolyn.

• Measuring​
• Dredging/Breading
• Layering
• Using an Oven
• Using a Stove​​

Recipe Notes
In this recipe you will dredge and bread chicken breasts prior to baking. In cooking, the word dredge means to coat an item in flour. Dredging with flour is often one of the steps in the standard breading procedure. Breading is to coat food that has been moistened with milk, egg, etc in bread crumbs. When a recipe calls for breading, you should always dredge with flour because the flour helps the breading stick. 

​Spinach is an optional ingredient in this recipe. 

Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts (approximately 3 pounds)
• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour (gluten free works well too!)
• 3-5 eggs blended
• Breadcrumbs-Italian Seasoned (gluten free available)
• Vegetable Oil - Spray or Liquid
• 1 (24 oz) Jar Tomato Sauce
• 1 (10 oz) Package of shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Optional:
  
  • 1 Large Bag of Fresh Spinach - (Washed)
    
  • Fresh Basil  (washed and trimmed)

Equipment

• Baking Dish (8x16) glass or metal
• Cutting Board
• Paring Knife
• Meat Tenderizer Tool
• Plastic Wrap
• Aluminum Foil, Parchment or Silicone Sheet Pan Liner
• 3 medium-size, shallow bowls --pie plates work well!
• 2 Baking Sheets
• Large Pot
• Fork
• Spoon
• Aluminum Foil to cover baking pan
• Toothpicks
• Double Spatula
• Oven Mitt
• ​Cutting Glove

Directions

Step 1:  Prepare the Chicken.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. ​Trim, rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts.​

Step 2: Pound the Chicken.

1. Position a piece of plastic wrap on the cutting board.
2. Put one chicken breast on top of one half of the plastic wrap. Fold the other half over the top of the chicken breast.
3. Pound with the tenderizing mallet until about 1/4” thick (or less)
4. Repeat for each chicken breast.
5. Set aside on a baking sheet pan.

Step 3:  Bread and Cook the Chicken.

1. Line-up the three shallow plates/bowls: fill one with the flour, another with the blended eggs, the third with breadcrumbs.
2. Moving quickly, dredge a piece of chicken in the flour and coat lightly.
3. Immediately dip that piece of chicken into the egg bowl.
4. After letting excess egg run-off, coat the chicken in the breadcrumbs.
5. Place on a covered baking sheet pan.
6. Repeat for each piece of chicken.
7. Arrange in a single layer and bake at 350˚ for about 20 minutes, or until reaching an internal temp of 160 degrees.  Checking at 15 mins. with a meat thermometer. 

Step 4:  Assemble the Chicken. ​

1. Cover the bottom of a lightly-oiled baking dish with a thin layer of pasta sauce.
2. If including spinach, add a layer of spinach.
3. Make a SINGLE layer of the cooked chicken.
4. Sprinkle with a layer of mozzarella.
5. Add another layer of spinach.
6. Spoon on more tomato sauce. 
7. Add the final layer of chicken.  
8. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the top.
9. Place a few toothpicks around the top of the dish to only 1/2” deep.
10. Gently cover with a large sheet of aluminum foil, being careful to not poke through and carefully sealing the sides by crimping/pinching the foil to the rim of the dish.
11. Bake, covered, for about 20-30 minutes (until bubbling). 

Step 5: Broil. 

1. Remove the foil.
2. Set the oven to Broil.
3. Return the casserole dish to the oven without the foil.
4. Broil until the top begins to brown. 
5. Remove from oven. ​

Step 6:  Serve the Chicken.

1. Cut the casserole into pieces following the shape of the chicken. ​
2. Scoop each slice onto a plate. 
3. Top with fresh cut Basil, drizzle of olive oil, and/or a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese. 
4. Enjoy!