Ultimate Chicken Parmesan

Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Step 2 -Line an 18x26-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 3 -On a cutting board with a sharp knife, cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 pieces.

Step 4 -Cover the chicken pieces with parchment paper or wax paper and, with a meat mallet, pound the chicken pieces to about a 1/2-inch thickness.

Step 5 -Transfer the chicken breast pieces to a large platter.

Step 6 -In a large shallow bowl, add the flour.

Step 7 -In a second large shallow bowl, add the eggs and whisk to combine.

Step 8 -In a third shallow bowl, add the breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, the panko, the salt, the black pepper, the Italian seasoning, and the garlic powder and whisk to combine.

Step 9 -Add the chicken breast pieces to the flour mixture and coat them well. Gently shake off the excess flour.

Step 10 -Dip the flour-coated chicken pieces into the egg mixture to coat.

Step 11 -Place the egg-coated chicken pieces in the breadcrumb mixture until covered, pressing to adhere on both sides.

Step 12 -In a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil.

Step 13 -Add the dredged chicken breast pieces to the heated oil and cook until each side of the chicken is browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. You may need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding, adding more of the extra oil before each batch, as needed.

Step 14 -Transfer the browned chicken breast pieces to the prepared baking sheet.

Step 15 -Evenly spoon about 1/3 cup of the marinara sauce over top of each piece of the chicken.

Step 16 -Evenly top each piece of the chicken with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining parmesan cheese.

Step 17 -On the middle rack, bake until the cheeses are melted and the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the juices run clear, about 14-20 minutes.

Step 18 -Serve immediately, garnished with the fresh basil.