Chicken Parmigiana

This recipe is both a hubby pleaser and, according to a girlfriend with a picky toddler, a kid pleaser...and super easy to boot! Double the ingredients, because this fabulous comfort food makes great leftovers!

1 cup Contadina bread crumbs with roasted garlic and savory spices (you can use plain if you'd like, but the garlic makes all the difference)

1 cup shredded parmesan

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

coarse salt and fresh pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 jar Prego spaghetti sauce (choose your favorite flavor, but I like the chunky kinds with roasted red peppers and garlic)

1/4 cup olive oil

6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese cut into 1/4-inch slices

Start your assembly line: In one shallow dish, add your beaten eggs. In a second shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs and parmesan. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spread the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 10-by-15-inch baking dish.

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper, then dip in the egg-wash and dredge both sides through the bread crumbs. Repeat the egg-wash and dredging procedure.

Place chicken in the hot oil and cook until golden, 1 or 2 minutes on each side.

Using a spatula, transfer the browned chicken to the baking dish and place atop the sauce. If you are like me and use an extra large skillet that is not non-stick, you may lose some of your breading; simply scrape it from the skillet and sprinkle on top of the bare spots of chicken breast.

Broil the chicken 4 inches from the heat until cooked through, about 30 minutes, adding a mozzarella slice to each piece of chicken for the final 5 minutes, or until melted and lightly browned in spots.

Serve on a bed of spaghetti noodles (with a little extra sauce on top) along side a Caesar salad.

And yes, I know I forgot to take a picture of the final product. I have that problem often. I promise I'll try to be better next week! Promise!