Simple and delicious chicken parm

Tonight needs to be an easy night for me, seeing as I will be driving and picking up kids right around dinner time.   For some reason I felt like chicken parm, but I wanted the coating on the chicken to be something different.






I start by soaking the chicken breasts in buttermilk for about 30 minutes, turning every once in a while.









While they soak, I try something different instead of plain seasoned breadcrumbs.  I create a mixture of crushed Ritz crackers, some panko crumbs and a small amount of seasoned breadcrumbs.  I add some garlic powder and a little salt.





I take my favorite cast iron fry pan and add a little olive oil.  When it is good and hot, I take one chicken breast at a time and coat it with the crumb mixture.  I press down on the chicken so a fair amount will stick.  Then, I cook them until they are a nice golden brown.

When they are done, I place them in a casserole dish.   I had some fresh mozzarella cheese in the fridge, so I cut it up and scattered it over the chicken, along with some fresh basil.  I cheat and use a jar of Barilla roasted garlic tomato sauce to pour over everything.  Then it is into a 325 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes.  I just want to make sure the chicken finishes cooking and cheese melts.

While the chicken is in the oven, I boil up some pasta to have with the chicken...

Yum!

Very easy and low-maintenance.....not many dishes either!  The crumb mixture I put together was exactly what I was looking for.  Don't be afraid to add even more ingredients and seasonings......When you are experimenting, take a small amount and taste it after each addition.  If it doesn't taste good, dump it out and try again.  Once you find the right combination, you can add it to the rest of the mixture.