Italian Chicken Parmesan

I've already posted this recipe once before, but I think it's time for an update. This chicken always turns out moist and flavorful. That's because instead of using egg or milk to coat the chicken before breading, you use an Italian Dressing marinade. It really makes all the difference!

What you'll need (from left to right): Pasta sauce, Italian dressing (my two favorites are the Lawry's Garlic & Herb or Wishbone Italian Dressing), olive oil, garlic powder, chicken, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, pasta, black pepper, and salt.

First you need to take your boneless skinless chicken breast and put them in a Ziplock bag. You could also use a dish, if you want. Just whatever you want to use to marinate it in the fridge overnight.

To the bag, add Parmesan cheese and Italian dressing. Seal the bag and mix it all around until the marinade coats each piece of chicken.

Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. Obviously, the longer it marinates, the stronger the flavor will be.

When you are ready to bread the chicken, add the bread crumbs and seasonings (garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper) to a large bowl.

Mix it all together really well.

Place each piece of chicken in the bowl and coat evenly.

Once they are all coated, place the chicken on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, cook your pasta and sauce. When everything is done, serve chicken on a bed of pasta. I also served ours with a side of Oven Roasted Asparagus.

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Italian Chicken Parmesan

by Miranda at mirandabee.com August-28-2013

A simple, flavorful, Italian-inspired dish perfect for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
• 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/3 cup Italian Dressing
• 1 1/2 cups Bread Crumbs (or Crushed Croutons)
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• Olive Oil
• 1 lb Pasta
• 2 cups Marinera Sauce
• Parmesan Cheese for Garnish

Instructions

1. Place chicken in a Ziplock Bag. Mix Parmesan Cheese and Italian Dressing and add it to chicken. Marinate in fridge for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight).2. Preheat oven to 350°F3. Mix seasonings and bread crumbs in a shallow dish.4. Coat chicken with bread crumbs and place on lightly oiled cookie sheet.5. Bake for 30 minutes.6. While the chicken is baking, cook pasta as the package directs and warm the marinara sauce of your choice.7. When the chicken, pasta, and sauce are done; top with Parmesan Cheese, serve and enjoy.

Details

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 1 hour Yield: 4-6 servings

Homemade Lasagna

Homemade Lasagna kind of gets a bad rap. It's usually known as kind of labor intensive and difficult. I, however, don't agree! Sure, it takes some time. But, to me, it's so easy to make. Chop some vegetables, stir some sauce, layer some ingredients, and... Voila! Lasagna! (Plus it's so easy to hide vegetables in for those picky eaters!)

Here are the ingredients you'll need (from left to right): Dried Basil, Low Fat Cottage Cheese, Spinach, Ground Italian Sausage, Ground Beef, Dried Parsley, Italian Seasonings, Prego Sauce, Onion, Garlic, Egg, Carrot, Mozzarella Cheese, Sugar, Noodles, and Parmesan Cheese. I also use broccoli and cauliflower sometimes. (Once you puree it and add it to the sauce, you can't even taste it.)

First you want to add the garlic, onion, ground beef and Italian sausage to a pan and brown it. Then just drain it and set it aside for now.

Chop the carrot (and the broccoli and cauliflower if you use it) and steam until soft. Then you put it all in a blender and puree it. 

Add the sauce, pureed veggies, and spices to your meat. Then set the sauce aside and let it simmer on low.

Next you need to make the cottage cheese mixture. You can also use ricotta instead of cottage cheese if you want. I just like cottage cheese because it's healthier and it's less watery.

To make this mixture, first you need to chop up your spinach. Just a quick, rough chop is fine.

To that bowl, add the cottage cheese.

Next you add the egg. It will help bind everything together when it cooks.

Finally, you add the Parmesan cheese to the bowl.

Then you stir it all up! It's messier, but I find that stirring works best when you use your hands.

The last step to making lasagna is assembling it. All you do is take turns layering everything together.

After it's all layered, you have a few different options. You can cook it right away or you can freeze it. If you cook it right away you want to cover it with foil and bake it at 375° for 40-50 minutes covered, then 15-20 uncovered. Then let it rest for 15 minutes before serving. If you freeze it, there are a couple different methods and you can choose whichever you prefer.

What's that? You want to print the recipe, you say? Done.

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Homemade Lasagna

by Miranda at mirandabee.com March-11-2014

A deceivingly easy homemade lasagna recipe with hearty veggies, meat, and (semi)homemade sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground Italian Sausage
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1/2 cup Chopped Onion
• 2 cloves Crushed Garlic
• 1/2 cup Chopped Carrot
• 1/2 cup Chopped Broccoli (optional)
• 1/2 cup Chopped Cauliflower (optional)
• 2 jars Sauce (I like Prego)
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp Dried Basil
• 2 tsp Dried Parsley
• 2 cups Fresh Spinach
• 16 oz Low Fat Cottage (or Ricotta) Cheese
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 box Noodles (Regular or No Boil)
• 3 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions

1. In a large pan, brown the onions, garlic, Italian sausage and ground beef. Drain and set it aside.
2. Steam carrots (and broccoli and cauliflower, if you are using them) until soft. Puree in a blender until smooth.
3. Add sauce, pureed veggies, and spices to the meat. Set aside and let simmer on low.
4. Chop the spinach and put in a large bowl.
5. To the spinach, add the cottage cheese, egg, and Parmesan cheese. Mix it all together. (It's messier, but I find that stirring works best when you use your hands.)
6. Preheat oven to 375°
7. Layer your ingredients in a casserole pan in this order: Meat Sauce, Noodles, Cottage Cheese Mixture, Mozzarella Cheese, Meat Sauce, Noodles, Cottage Cheese Mixture, Mozzarella Cheese, Meat Sauce, Noodles. Then add just enough sauce to cover the exposed noodles and cover it all with Mozzarella Cheese.
8. Cover with tin foil and bake for 40-50 minutes then uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
9. Take it out of the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving. If you don't, it could be soupy.

Details

Prep time: 40 mins Cook time: 1 hour 10 mins Total time: 1 hour 50 mins Yield: 12 servings

Italian Chicken Parmesan

*See the updated version of this recipe HERE.
Tonight's dinner was another easy one. Threw it together in a few minutes, using ingredients I had on hand. I had made Chicken Parmesan before, but never with this method. Though, now I don't think I will use any other method. The chicken turned out really moist and flavorful.