Chicken Cutlet Parmesan

This is the recipe for today's meal except I used a jarred pasta sauce and I added some grated Romano cheese to the parmesan cheese.  It was a hit with the family.  The pasta was gluten free but the breading on the cutlets was not.  We had some gluten free pasta left from a couple months ago and I used it instead of regular.  If I had had some linguini, I would have used that.

   CHICKEN CUTLET PARMESAN       Serves 6 to 8 

    3 large whole boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 pounds total), split

    and trimmed 

    2 cups milk 

    4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 

    6 large eggs, beaten 

    Pinch of coarse salt 

    6 cups unseasoned dry bread crumbs 

    1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 

    4 tablespoons unsalted butter 

    2 cups Traditional Italian Tomato Sauce (recipe follows), warmed 

    1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced 

    1. Using a meat tenderizer or a heavy skillet, pound the chicken breasts

    between two sheets of plastic wrap until flat, about 1/4 inch in thickness. Place

    the milk, flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in separate shallow baking dishes.

    Season the eggs with a pinch of salt. Dip each breast in the following order;

    milk, flour (shake off excess), eggs, and bread crumbs (press down firmly while

    coating with bread crumbs). 

    2. In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat until

    sizzling. Arrange the chicken breasts in the pan without crowding, cooking in

    batches if necessary. Reduce the heat, and cook the chicken until golden

    brown and the juices run clear when poked with a sharp fork, 3 to 5 minutes per

    side. Remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels; pat off excess oil. 

    3. Place 1/2 cup of the warm tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-by-2-inch

    baking dish. Add 3 of the cooked breasts to the baking dish; cover with 1/2 cup

    of the warm tomato sauce and half the sliced mozzarella. Repeat with the

    remaining chicken breasts and sauce, and top with mozzarella. Transfer to

    broiler, and broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown, about 5 minutes.

    Remove from broiler, and serve immediately. 

    TRADITIONAL ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE 

    Makes about 9 cups 

    If you are preparing this recipe in August or September, use fresh plum

    tomatoes, because they will be at the height of their season. Cut them into

    large pieces, and run them through the food mill just as you would canned

    tomatoes. Slow cooking will allow the skin to melt into the sauce. For canned

    tomatoes, Mark likes to use Italian plum tomatoes from the San Marzano

    Valley. 

    4 twenty-eight-ounce cans whole Italian plum tomatoes 

    1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 

    3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

    1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes 

    1 cup Chianti or dry red wine 

    1 tablespoon dried oregano 

    8 leaves fresh basil 

    Coarse salt to taste 

    Freshly ground pepper to taste 

    Purée the tomatoes in a food mill, removing most of the seeds. In a medium

    stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add garlic, and sauté until golden

    brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes. While the oil is sizzling, slowly

    add half of the puréed tomatoes and the wine, stirring to mix. Add remaining

    tomatoes, reduce heat to low, and let simmer. Add the oregano, and continue

    to simmer until slightly thickened, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add

    the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The sauce may be kept in the

    refrigerator up to 3 or 4 days in a covered container, or in the freezer for 1

    month.