PARMESAN CHICKEN

I know you've heard of Chicken Parmesan -- well, this is Parmesan Chicken. It's an easy, go-to recipe when you don't want to think too much about how to cook chicken. I like it a lot when it's hot and even better the next day when it's cold, cut up on a salad or just eaten plain out of the fridge as a snack. I had leftover mashed potatoes that I coated in some of the same breadcrumbs and baked next to the chicken. This may not have been a gourmet meal, but it was delicious and satisfied both of us.
Parmesan Chicken
Rating: 9 out of 10
3/4 cup Plain or Parmesan breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. paprika
1 egg
1/4 cup fat-free half and half, or milk
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Louisiana hot sauce
2 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a 10x14 (or similar size) baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a paper plate, combine first 3 ingredients, mixing well to distribute ingredients evenly. In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg with the half and half, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Slice the chicken in half horizontally, making 2-3 cutlets for each breast. Lay the breasts, one at a time, between waxed paper sheets and pound them thin with a mallet (Meat mallets can be purchased at Wal-Mart for a few dollars, and are an invaluable kitchen tool. In 3 smacks, you can have a thin cutlet.) Dip each cutlet in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumbs; lay the breaded cutlet in the prepared baking pan. Repeat till all the cutlets are in the pan. Drizzle with the oil and bake for 20-25 minutes, or till done, turning cutlets over halfway through cooking time.