The Anti-Chicken Fingers Movement ~ Chicken Parmesan w/Whole Wheat Pasta

 Got this one from Pinterest!  Another hit!  Thanks to www.chow.com.  I used Italian bread crumbs as I didn't have any Panko, but I love Panko too, so whatever you desire!  

INGREDIENTS

• 3 (11- to 12-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups panko or italian bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 ounce)
• 1 cup olive oil
• 3 cups Tomato Sauce
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves (about 20 medium leaves)
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 12 thin slices
• Whole Wheat Noodles (amount desired, I used a whole package)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the broiler to high and arrange a rack in the top third of the oven. Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap, parchment paper, or waxed paper, or in a resealable plastic bag, and pound to an even thickness (about 1/4 inch thick) with a meat pounder, a rolling pin, or the bottom of a pan. Season well with salt and pepper.
2. Place the flour in a wide, shallow dish, season well with salt and pepper, and mix; set aside. Combine the milk and eggs in another shallow dish and mix until the eggs are broken up; set aside. Mix the panko and Parmesan together in a third shallow dish.
3. To bread the chicken, dredge a breast in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Next, coat it in the egg mixture and let the excess drip off. Finally, press it into the panko mixture until it’s well coated. Set the breaded chicken on a large plate or baking sheet and repeat with the remaining breasts.
4. Line a clean baking sheet with paper towels and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, or 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Add the chicken in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan) and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to the paper-towel-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken.
5. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.
6. While frying the last batch of chicken, bring the tomato sauce to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Once warmed through, stir in 1/4 cup of the basil and reserve the rest for garnish. Remove the paper towels and place the chicken directly on the baking sheet. Divide the mozzarella slices evenly among the breasts and place under the broiler until the cheese is golden and bubbly. (Rotate the baking sheet as needed for even browning.)
7. To serve, spoon the desired amount of noodles on the plate, ladle 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce onto each plate, top with chicken, and sprinkle with the remaining basil.  

Happy eating friends! ~ Trina