Easy Weeknight Baked Chicken Parmesan

Let's face it, we all have those days when we're too tired to cook dinner when we come home from work. This is the recipe for one of those days. It's quick and easy, but your family will think you spent hours in the kitchen making it....no one ever has to know you didn't!

 

 

Easy Weeknight Baked Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:
4 thin sliced chicken breasts
3 tablespoons extra vigin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt & Pepper to taste
1  1/4 cup marinara sauce (homemade or your favorite store bought brand)
4 slices smoked provolone
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Sprigs of fresh herbs for garnish


Directions:

** Remove the chicken breasts from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring to room temp. This helps the chicken cook evenly.

Preheat your oven to 500 f

Place the olive oil, chopped herbs and oregano in a small bowl. Add salt & pepper to taste. Stir well to combine.

Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and brush one side of each breast with the oil-herb mixture. Use up half of the mixture.

Heat a cast iron skillet (or other large pan) over medium heat until hot. (My chicken breasts were pretty big so I had to use 2 pans).

Place the chicken breasts in the skillet herb side down. Brush the top side with the remaining oil-herb mixture. Use the remainder of the mixture.

Cook until the chicken breasts are browned on one side (approx 2-3 minutes), then flip and brown on the other side (approx 2-3 minutes more).

Remove the skillet from the heat. Top each chicken breast with marinara sauce, dividing evenly between the 4 breasts.

Top each breast with a slice of smoked provolone cheese, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese, then top with the cubed butter.

Place the skillet in the oven and cook until the chicken breasts are cooked through (approximately 5 minutes depending upon how thick the chicken breasts are).

If you want to brown the cheese on top of the breasts, place the pan under the broiler until browned.

Remove and garnish with a sprig of fresh herbs.

Serve over Creamy Polenta or your favorite pasta.