Layered Chicken Parm

Chicken parmesan has always been a favorite of mine, but I confess to liking neither the pain of traditional frying preparation, nor the additional calories that come from fried chicken patties. So, this recipe is a toast to a healthier chicken parm creation.

What you'll need:

1-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

small container ricotta cheese

fresh basil

tomato sauce, bottled or fresh (recipe below)

balsamic vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

Italian seasoning, to include oregano, marjoram, parsley flakes

salt and pepper

mozzarella cheese

pasta of your choosing

To start:

Marinate the chicken breasts in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I use 1 tbls. vinegar with 2 tbls. of olive oil, adjusting the amount depending on the amount of chicken used, making sure to cover all the breasts with the marinade. Bake the chicken breasts in a 350 F oven for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken's juices run clear. Pull chicken out of stove and let cool down.

Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise in half, essentially slicing them in half so that they are the same length as the original, but are skinnier. In an oven safe dish, place the first chicken breast half. Scoop a dollop of ricotta cheese and place it against the chicken, then add a few leaves of fresh basil. Place the next chicken breast against the basil and cheese, and add another dollop of ricotta cheese with a few leaves of basil. Continue to layer the chicken, ricotta and basil in this fashion until you have used all the chicken breasts.

When you have finished layering the chicken and cheese, smother the concoction with your tomato sauce. Now add a layer of mozzarella, pop into your still warm 350 F oven, and bake until the mozzarella begins to melt, about 20 minutes. In the meantime, boil water and prepare the pasta of your choosing. When the chicken emerges, the ricotta will be soft, the sauce will be bubbling, and your mouth will be watering. Plate the pasta and then serve the chicken over the pasta, using the excess sauce to soak the pasta. You may want to add additional parmesan cheese to the top, but it's perfect just as it is.

Tomato Sauce In a Jiffy

7-8 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped and diced

3 cloves of garlic

4 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 tblsp. butter

1.5 tblsp. extra virgin olive oil

dash salt

dash pepper

fresh basil

3 tsp. sugar

dash balsamic vinegar

When tomatoes are ripe, this sauce is a great use for them. In a sauce pan, melt the butter and then add the olive oil. When heated, crush the garlic cloves and add to the pan. The heat should be medium to low, as you don't want the garlic to brown, but to infuse the oil with its flavor. When the smell of the garlic starts to waft through the kitchen, add your fresh diced tomatoes to the pan and stir. Add the Italian seasoning, the fresh basil, and salt and pepper. Let the tomatoes cook down, and the spices simmer. Add a dash of balsamic vinegar, the sugar, and turn the heat down to low. I let this mixture cook from up to 2 hours before the meal, but I've also made this in a bout half an hour, and it still tastes great. It's an easy alternative to bottled sauce, and tastes really fresh.

Cheers!