124-oz jarmarinara sauceor your favorite tomato based pasta sauce
4boneless skinless chicken breastspounded thin to about a ½ inch in thickness
½cupall-purpose flour
3eggsbeaten with 2 tablespoons water and seasoned with salt and pepper
1cupItalian seasoned panko breadcrumbs
¼cupvegetable oil
1lbfresh mozzarellasliced
½cupfreshly grated parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepperto taste
For the Panini
4small loavesciabattaor 8 slices of your favorite crusty bread
Fresh mozzarella
Basil pesto
Extra tomato sauceas needed
Instructions
For the Chicken Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Place each chicken breast into a large plastic zip top bag, one at a time, and pound the chicken with a mallet until it's about ½ inch thick throughout.
Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each breast in the flour and tap off any excess flour, then dip in the egg mixture and let excess drip off, then dredge on both sides in the bread crumbs.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast iron pan and heat over high heat until almost smoking. Add 1 or 2 chicken breasts to the pan, however many will fit and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
Once the chicken is cooked, carefully wipe out the excess oil and brown bits from the cast iron skillet and add ½ of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a large skillet. If the skillet doesn't fit all the chicken breasts, use a large baking dish instead.
Add the pan fried breaded breasts on top of the sauce, and spoon the rest of the sauce over the chicken along with a few slices of the fresh mozzarella, salt and pepper, and equal amounts of the freshly grated parmesan. Transfer to the pre-heated oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prep the panini
For the Panini
Oil or butter the sides of the bread. On one piece of bread, add a small spoonful of pesto and on the other tomato sauce. Add the chicken parm cutlet on the tomato sauce piece of bread and then add extra cheese. Top with the other pesto slathered piece of bread and griddle until golden. Slice and serve.
Notes
These can be served immediately, or if you're taking them on a picnic, wrap them with aluminum foil and pack away.