Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Today is a good day. It's usually a good day when I don't have anxiety. For those who don't know, most of this month was anxiety-filled and it was not fun. I pushed through and still accomplished a lot but it was really bad for me.  You can read all about it HERE. Since I'm finally feeling better, my days have felt happier and better. This makes cooking more fun and feeling accomplished throughout the day. I have also been spending a lot of the past week watching the Olympics. I have loved the Olympics for years. In fact, I remember when I went to bible college, I remember sitting in the shared living room and watching the Olympics with a bunch of people on this tiny TV. My Dad, when he was alive and when the Olympics were in Utah, actually went to the Olympics and worked the Olympics as a firefighter/paramedic which was awesome. I think that was in 2002. I'm a huge fan of the women's gymnastics and men's swimming. What do you like to watch?

Anyways, last night it was just Kevin and I and I made this Chicken Parmesan recipe with Rigatoni pasta.  It wasn't too hard to make, it just took awhile to get the chicken fully cooked. The original recipe said 10 minutes in the oven and I think I ended up with 25-30 minutes in the oven so oven temperature will vary. 

If you make this recipe, please let me know! We both cleared our plates with enough for leftovers. 

Ingredients:
12 oz Rigatoni pasta 
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp That's Amore from Pinch Spice Market
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup shredded Italian Style Cheese
3 tbsp olive oil
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
24oz jar marinara sauce

Directions:
Prepare dry pasta according to package directions and allow it to boil while preparing the chicken. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, and That's Amore. Set aside. In a separate bowl combine the bread crumbs, Italian Style Cheese, and one tablespoon olive oil. Set aside. 

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet and place over medium heat. Cook chicken until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. As the chicken cooks, season each side with the seasoning mixture. Once it has browned, pour the marinara sauce in the pan around and on top of the chicken. Top each piece with more Italian Style Cheese and breadcrumb mixture. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake 10 minutes. Slice chicken after 10 minutes to make sure it is cooked all the way. Continue to cook, if needed, until cooked all the way through. For me, I cooked them about 20 minutes longer, checking every 10 minutes. Serve over pasta that has been tossed with olive oil and Italian Style Cheese.