Why, Yes, It is Chicken Parmesan With Red Pepper Marinara Sauce!

cannonmonkey's Note:

There's always room for another chicken recipe! This is pretty quick (like most chicken parm recipes), but roasted red bell peppers and cracka crumbs change up the flavor. Start the marinara sauce before you prepare the chicken---the longer it cooks, the better the flavor. Also, if you can get fresh mozzarella cheese, DO EET. Serve this over fusilli or bowtie pasta or any other sort of curly/squiggly pasta to catch the marinara sauce.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic (the jarred stuff works great)
• 1 (28 ounce) can of plain crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon oregano or 1 teaspoon Italian spices
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (adjust this to your tastes)
• ¼-½ cup roasted red pepper , chopped
• ground black pepper , to taste
• 2 chicken breasts , thawed
• 1 ½ cups crushed crackers (like Ritz or Club crackers)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ cup mozzarella cheese , cut into four slices
• ¼ cup roasted red pepper (about six strips)
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• butter (for browning the chicken and garlic)

Directions:

1. SAUCE: Put a medium saucepan over medium heat with some butter, and add the crushed/chopped garlic. Stir it around for about thirty seconds to brown it a little bit and wake up the flavor.
2. Open the can of tomatoes and dump them in, juice and all. **If you like a chunky or dry sauce, remove a few tablespoons of the liquid---not ALL of it!
3. Add the oregano/various Italian seasonings, salt, sugar, red peppers, and ground black pepper. Stir everything together and bring to a boil; lower the heat to medium-low, or until the sauce is just simmering. Stir it whenever you remember to.
4. CHICKEN: Pound the chicken breasts until they're about 1/4" thick (3/4 cm).
5. Mix the crackers and the oregano in a bowl, then dip the chicken into the mixture, pressing the crumbs into the meat as you go.
6. In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the chicken and cook about 4 minutes on each side, or until the crumbs are a light brown-gold and the meat is almost done. Turn off the heat, but leave the pan on the burner.
7. Put 2 slices of mozzarella on each breast (heh) and cover the pan with a lid of some sort. Let it sit for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
8. Put the chicken onto the serving plates and top each with three slices of red pepper and a shibbityshake of Parmesan, then pour some of the marinara sauce on top of everything.
9. Use the rest of the sauce on pasta and breadsticks.