Giada's Chicken Parmesan

I wouldn't say I HATE Giada De Laurentiis, but I sure am no fan.

That said, I love Italian food, and when she isn't making food porn or showing off her breasts, Giada fills my need for Italian food. One of the best Giada recipes that I have come across is her chicken parmesan. No fried chicken in this baby. Much healthier. The chicken cutlets (note, cutlets, not breasts, so they cook quicker) are seasoned with italian herbs, then lightly pan fried or sauteed (depending on your definitions). Once brown, they are covered with tomato sauce and cheese and baked in the oven until the chicken is cooked and the cheese melty.She reccomends putting butter atop the cheese to make it brown, but I would rather have it unbrowned and use the extra calories for, what else, more cheese. So, I ommit her butter and add extra mozzerella. I serve this chicken with pasta (in that case add extra sauce to the pan so that you heat up extra sauce for the pasta) or as a sandwich.

Either way it is delicious, quick, easy and pretty healthy. Ugh, I can't believe I just complimented Giada...Giada's Chicken Parmesan
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tsp dried italian herbs of choice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 chicken cutlets
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Optional: Chopped tomatoes and garlic

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Stir the oil and herbs (and garlic if you are using it) in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Coat both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a heavy large oven-proof skillet over high heat. If your skillet is not oven proof simply because of the handle, wrap a few layers of aluminum foil around the handle. Add the cutlets to the skillet and cook just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat.

(Spoon tomatoes around the chicken if you are using them.) Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle 1 TBSP of mozzarella over each cutlet, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Parmesan over each. Bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.