Step by step
Directions
Cook the pasta
Heat the oven to 425°F. Bring the 3 quarts water to a boil in a large pot; no additional salt is needed for this recipe. Cook all the penne according to its package until al dente, then drain. Prepare the sauce and chicken while the water heats and pasta cooks.
Make the sauce
Put all the crushed tomatoes and their juices, basil, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a saucepan. Simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Measure 1 cup sauce into a separate bowl for topping the chicken; keep the remaining sauce in the saucepan for the pasta.
Set up the breading
Place all the flour in one shallow dish and the beaten eggs in a second. Combine all the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a third. Season all four chicken cutlets evenly with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Bread the chicken
Coat each cutlet lightly in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg and coat with the breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture. Discard any breading ingredients left in the dishes after they have touched raw chicken.
Pan-fry
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook two cutlets for 2–3 minutes per side until golden, then transfer to a baking dish. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and repeat with the other two cutlets. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.
Bake
Spoon the reserved 1 cup sauce over the four cutlets, using ¼ cup per cutlet. Divide all the mozzarella evenly over them. Bake for 8–12 minutes, until the cheese melts and a thermometer in the thickest part of each cutlet reads 165°F; continue cooking if needed.
Serve
Toss all the drained penne with all the sauce remaining in the saucepan and warm gently. Divide the pasta among four plates and top each with one chicken cutlet.
