Quick Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Arrange an oven rack in the middle and warm the oven to 425°F. Lay foil over a large rimmed baking sheet, then give the foil a light coat of nonstick cooking spray. Stir the flour with 1/4 tsp. pepper in a wide, shallow dish. In another wide, shallow dish, whisk the eggs lightly with 1 Tbs. water. Fill a third wide, shallow dish with the panko. Salt the chicken, then dredge each piece in the flour, shake away what doesn’t cling, dip it in the egg, and finish in the panko, patting the crumbs on so they stay put.
2. Add 2 Tbs. oil to a nonstick 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in two batches, turning the pieces once, until the coating is golden and the meat is nearly done, 1 to 2 minutes per side; add 2 Tbs. more oil before the second batch goes in. Move the chicken onto the baking sheet you prepared. Scatter the Parmigiano over the top, then divide the mozzarella evenly over the pieces. Bake until the chicken is done and the cheese has melted, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. While that bakes, clean out the skillet and put it back over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, followed by the onion and garlic. Cook and stir often until the onion softens and takes on a little color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1/4 tsp. salt, stirring them in. Let the sauce simmer, with a stir now and then, until it tightens up, 4 to 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the basil. Add salt and pepper until it tastes right. Spoon the sauce over the chicken to serve.