Baked Chicken Parmesan with Homemade Tomato Sauce

First one of the new month.....

Baking the chicken breasts rather than pan-frying results in a crisp, golden crust without any added fat.
To save time, look for thin sliced or filleted chicken breasts at your supermarket, which are the perfect thickness for this recipe. You can make the tomato sauce up to 2 days ahead, but jarred marinara (look for brands with less sodium) works just as well.

Check it out-

INGREDIENTS: 

For the sauce:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 small carrot, peeled and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 small rib celery, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 cans (14 ounces each) no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 dried bay leaf
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

For the chicken:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1⁄2 cup)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 ounces each), pounded 1/4" to 1/2" thick
1/2 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2 ounces)

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Prepare the sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 25 minutes. Add the vinegar and basil and simmer until the flavors blend, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf. Working in batches, transfer the sauce to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and puree until smooth (be careful when blending hot liquids). Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and set aside.
2. Prepare the chicken: Heat the oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place 3 shallow bowls in front of you. Add the flour to the first bowl. Crack the eggs into the second bowl, beat, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Combine the bread crumbs, oregano, and three-quarters of the Parmesan in the third bowl. Dip the chicken breasts in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the egg, then press into the bread crumbs so the mixture adheres to the chicken. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake, turning once about halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Switch the oven to broil.
3. Reheat the sauce over low heat if necessary. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the sauce inside a 21⁄2- to 3-quart baking dish. Add the chicken in a single layer, overlapping slightly if necessary. Spread about 1/4 cup of the sauce over each chicken breast (you may have some leftover). Top evenly with the mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan. Transfer to the center rack of the oven and broil until the cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve with an arugula salad, if desired.

I suggest a nice Red wine to go with this-

 Enjoy!

Drink and Eat Well My Friends!