Quick and Easy Chicken Parmesan

This is easy.  This is quick.  Don't judge me cause I used tomato sauce from a jar and frozen garlic bread.  I know you have the same things hanging out in your cupboard and freezer!

That being said you actually have Kelly Bateman to thank for this.  I was having trouble coming up with my meals on wheels dinner for Thursday night.  Kelly suggested chicken parmesan.  She is BRILLIANT!  Bada Bing Bada Boom.  I didn't exactly measure when I made this, but I have a pretty good idea of how much you will need, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a little extra around in case I estimated too low.

1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce (I really like Newman's Own Traditional Herb)
1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
4 thin sliced chicken breasts
2 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
2 tbls. dried oregano
2 tbls. dried parsley
2 tbls. dried basil
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400.

In a bowl beat the eggs.  On a plate spread the flour and some salt and pepper.  On another plate mix the bread crumbs and the dried herbs.  Set up an assembly line.  Chicken breasts, flour, egg, bread crumbs and finally the baking dish (9x13 or so) that has been coated with olive oil.  Coat all pieces of chicken lightly with flour, shake off the excess.  Dip the chicken into the egg, making sure it is thoroughly coated.  Let any extra egg drip off before putting the chicken into the bread crumbs.  Roll the chicken pieces through the bread crumbs, making sure the chicken is completely coated.  Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish. Give each piece a little space so that it will crisp up nicely.  Wash your nasty egg and bread crumb alien fingers!  Bake for 15 minutes.

Pull the baking dish out and pour some tomato sauce over each piece of chicken, you will use about 1/2 the jar.  Then sprinkle the cheese over the top and return the chicken to the oven for another 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.

Make a salad, cook some broccoli, heat up that frozen garlic bread...

While the chicken finished cook up your pasta, don't forget to salt the water after it has boiled, according to the package.  

Serve it up.  Put some more of the tomato sauce over the pasta.  Sprinkle on some parmesan cheese and gobble it up!