Crispy Italian Chicken With Authentic Italian Sauce

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We all know that dessert is a highlight for many people. Whether you are “bananas” for ice cream and bananas or you like a big, thick, gooey chocolate cake, you’ve still got to enjoy the main meal. But when you are fed up with your boring chicken dish what can you do to shake it up? Let's show you this crispy Italian chicken recipe that is so indulgent you won't even want dessert!

Ingredients

For the sauce:

3 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed

3 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes

¼ - ½ teaspoon of dried chili flakes

2 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoon sugar

1 large handful of basil leaves, torn up into small pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Grated parmesan, to serve (optional)

For the chicken:

2 cups of seasoned croutons (or if you'd rather, zesty Italian croutons)

1 egg

1 and a quarter pounds of boneless and skinless chicken breast.

¼ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Directions

For the sauce:

Heat the oil in a saucepan. 

Gently cook the onion and the garlic until they have softened. 

Stir in the tomatoes, the chili flakes, the balsamic vinegar, and the sugar. Bring up to a simmer and cook slowly for 45 minutes to 1 hour for a rich flavor. 

Stir in the basil and season the sauce with salt and pepper. 

If you want, this can be left chunky or for a smooth sauce, blend it in a food processor.

For the chicken:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray to stop it sticking. 

Put the croutons into a large resealable plastic bag and, using a rolling pin, crush the croutons up finely.

Crack open the egg and whisk it up in a shallow dish before dipping the chicken into the egg. Once the chicken is coated in the egg, place this into the plastic bag and shake. Make sure that the chicken is covered in the croutons. 

Take the chicken out and place it onto the baking sheet. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes or until the chicken has been cooked through.

Get the sauce and spoon it over the chicken. Sprinkle with the cheese and you are good to go! Pair this with oven roasted Italian vegetables and you've got an indulgent yet healthy main course.

If you are fed up with chicken as the staple dish in your household try this as a supremely indulgent alternative. Chicken doesn't have to be a boring, plain thing. Take inspiration from this dish and make it what you want! Chicken is one of those staple food choices that can get old quickly. When you are trying to shake up your evening meal give this a go! And if you are looking to make more Italian food you can get inspiration from so many Italian cooks out there. This is the tip of the iceberg as far as tasty Italian treats are concerned. Enjoy!