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My Easy Tomato Basil Parmesan Chicken Dish
Family Style Chicken Dish
Fast and Easy Dinner
When I was a younger, single mom, I used this recipe and variations of it a lot because it is so fast and easy to prepare. A wide variety of vegetables pair nicely with the main dish, and for desert I would usually serve cantaloupe or honey dew melon, although a dish of sherbet or ice cream would never be turned down.
This recipe is easy because it doesn't require a lot of dishes, and strict measuring to cook it up.
I like to use the sprinkle method to add spices, and by sticking with the same size cans for the tomato sauce and diced or whole tomatoes, the measuring is already done for you. Same goes for using the fresh ingredients. That is the beauty of seasoning to taste.
Assemble Spices and Herbs
Sweet Basil is the Flavor Key
Cook Time
Ingredients For this Tomato Basil Parmesan Chicken
- 1 15 oz can or 3 cups fresh Roma Tomatos, Roma Tomatoes Hold up Well When Cooking
- One Large 15 oz can Tomato Sauce, Regular as opposed to flavored
- 3 Large Sprigs Fresh Sweet Basil or,, 2 TBSP Dried Sweet Basil, more to taste
- 2 Tablespoons Dried Sweet Basil, Use either dry or fresh
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder, or see clove below, 3 cloves Fresh Garlic may be substituted
- 1 TBSP Paprika, More, or less, to taste
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper, More or less according to your tastes and to those of your guests
- 1 Teaspoon White Pepper, Less or more depending on your taste
- 8 to 12 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Tenders, Without Breading, Thaw if frozen
- 2 TBSP Onion Powder, Or substitute 1 large Walla Walla Sweet Onion
- 6 to 10 Drops Lemmon Juice, About 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
- 6 to 10 Drops Lime Juice, About 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice
- 1 lightly packed cup Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, Or Substitute about a half-cup of dried, ground Parmesan
- 2 TBSP Canola oil, If using olive oil cook at a little lower heat than if using canola oil
Use Fresh or Dried Herbs and Spices
This chicken dish is one of my all-time favorite meals. I like cooking it because it is easy but also because I can dress it up to make it look sophisticated, or serve it family style for every day use.
Another great thing about it is that you can use ingredients in their fresh, dried, or ground spice form. If you only have garlic powder instead of fresh garlic, that is okay! If you only have black pepper and are out of white pepper, no worries!
Here is more information about meat and poultry cooking guidelines.
Cooking Tips for This Recipe
- Use either the dried or fresh version of the garlic, sweet basil, and Onion.
- Add herbs and spices little by little. This way you can season to taste without accidentally getting too much in the mix.
- Brown the meat slowly, on a medium heat. You can always turn the heat up later.
- I use canola oil instead of olive oil for this because of the way I coat the chicken tenders with spices. It seems like every time I use olive oil, as shown in the photo, the seasoning with the olive oil causes the tenders to get too brown. When I use canola oil, the tenders are a lighter golden brown.
Add Drops of Lime and Lemon Juice To Tomato Sauce
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Approximate Food Values
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 2 tenders with Parmesan Sauce and 1 cup Broccoli | |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. |
Spice Breading for Chicken Tenders
Golden Brown Chicken Tenders
Fresh Melon for Desert
When I have Italian or Mediterranean food, fresh fruit always sounds good for desert. You could make a fresh fruit salad with apples, grapes, melons, kiwi and more. Have fun experimenting with combining some fresh fruit that you and your family or guests enjoy.
How to Put it Together
- Begin by assembling the listed ingredients.
- Assemble the tools: Large skillet, chopping knife, paring knife, stirring spoon, cutting board, and waxed paper (to put the thawed chicken on)
- Chop fresh ingredients, if needed: Dice whole Roma tomatoes into about 1 to 1/2 inch chunks. Chop sweet basil medium fine, chop the Walla Walla Sweet onion medium coarse. I usually just set each chopped item aside on the clean cutting board. Caution: Do not trim chicken on the same cutting board. When I am done chopping, I can easily transfer the chopped items to the cooking pan.
- Grate fresh Parmesan cheese, if you are using the fresh. Set aside on the cutting board.
- Next, take a clean cutting board and use it to trim the thawed chicken. Remove any undesirable areas from each chicken tender or chicken breast.
- Arrange the trimmed chicken on the waxed paper.
- Begin to coat each piece of chicken with the spices. Just take a pinch of spice between thumb and fingers and lightly dust the top of each piece of poultry.
- Set the burner for the pan at a medium low temperature and let it begin to heat up. When you put the chicken in the pan, you want to hear a sizzle, but not a roaring sizzle. If it really sizzles, turn the heat down to about half of what it was and go from there.
- After coating one side of the chicken with spices, arrange the chicken tenders or breasts in the pan, SPICE SIDE DOWN. Then coat the upper side with spices as you did earlier.
- Depending on the size or thickness of the chicken tenders or pieces, you will cook the chicken for 5 to 8 minutes on each side.
- Brown both sides of each piece of chicken until golden brown. Poultry must be cooked to a temperature of 165. You will brown the chicken until fully cooked before adding the sauce ingredients.
- Add the tomato sauce
- Add the diced tomatoes.
- Add pepper, salt, chopped or dried sweet basil, chopped onions, and all other ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE PARMESAN. Stir the mixture.
- Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce and spices for about 15 minutes. You may need to adjust the burner heat up or down.
- Add about 1/2 the fresh Parmesan cheese into the sauce and stir. If using the dried Parmesan, stick with the same ratio and then adjust to taste.
- Use the other half of the fresh Parmesan as a topping over the serving dish.
- Garnish with the remaining fresh basil, and serve.
Honey Dew Melon Desert Suggestion
In Conclusion
Thank you for taking the time to stop by and look at this recipe.
I will be adding a variation of this recipe for elegant dining. The flavors are similar, but the presentation and cooking method changes.
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Measuring Ingredients In Recipes
Do you like to measure your spices exactly, or do you like to add a few pinches here and there?
© 2013 Nancy Owens
