Delicious baked chicken is topped with tomato basil sauce and two cheeses, then served along side pasta. This classic Italian meal is both filling and presentable–perfect for company! I came up with this recipe years ago and it’s always a hit when I serve it.
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup tomato basil pasta sauce, prepared
Pasta for serving, if desired
Directions:
- In a large shallow bowl, mix together yogurt, vinegar, and garlic. Add chicken breasts and coat well. Cover bowl tightly.
- Place covered bowl with chicken and sauce in refrigerator and marinate 4-6 hours. (This step makes the chicken moist and flavorful!)
- Once chicken is marinated, pre heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large shallow bowl, mix together bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper to taste.
- One at a time, remove chicken breasts from marinate and dredge in bread crumbs. Press breadcrumbs firmly on both sides of chicken to coat well.
- Place breaded chicken breasts in a 9×13 baking dish, sprayed with Pam cooking spray.
- Drizzle olive oil evenly over breaded chicken breasts.
- Place in hot oven and bake uncovered 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and spoon 1/4 cup pasta sauce over each breast.
- Then top each breast with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and evenly divide remaining parmesan cheese over each breast.
- Return to oven and bake uncovered an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chicken is cooked thru.
- Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving. Serve with pasta and tomato basil sauce, if desired.
