Giada de Laurentiis' Chicken Parmesan with Chunky Tomato Sauce Recipe

I adapted Giada's original recipe to feed two people rather than four.

Start the sauce well ahead of time and simmer it a while for best flavor. This can easily be made into a minute meal by reducing the cook time of the sauce or using a store bought marinara or spaghetti sauce.

olive oil
pinch of oregano and thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Chunky Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella, divided
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
2 T butter, divided

Heat a medium oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Add a little oil and heat til very hot. Sprinkle chicken with oregano, thyme and salt and pepper. Brown chicken well on both sides.

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Spoon the sauce over and around the chicken. Bake 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle chicken evenly with cheeses. Top each with butter.
Bake til the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 more minutes.

Chunky Tomato Sauce
olive oil
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 carrot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small can diced tomatoes
1/2 t dried basil, rubbed
1 bay leaf
salt and ground black pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat a little oil. Add celery, onion and carrot and saute about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook another minute or so.

Increase heat to high and stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer sauce up to 1 hour, stirring often, til sauce is thickened. Taste and adjust as desired. Remove bay leaf before serving.

I served the chicken and sauce over angel hair pasta with a thick slice of cheesy Texas toast on the side.