Sandra's Chicken Parmigiana

I'm posting this recipe on Australia Day 2007 as a tribute to an Australian friend, Sandra Woodhouse. She gave me this recipe in 1981—not long after I married an Australian. Don't let the number of ingredients or steps deter you. This is really easy. Sandra would have loved Recipezaar, but she died too young—and before she 'found' it. She lived in the USA for three or four years and thoroughly enjoyed it.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3  whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, split
• 3⁄4 cup  breadcrumbs
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce (puree, or Italian tomatoes, which you should then crush)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon basil
• 1  garlic clove, crushed
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese, grated (or more)
• 8  ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced thin and cut into triangles

Directions

1. Flatten the chicken breasts with a mallet.
2. Then start to heat the oil in a large frying pan.
3. While the oil is heating, combine the eggs, salt and pepper.
4. Dip the breasts into the egg mixture, and then into breadcrumbs.
5. About now, start to preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. When the oil is hot, brown breasts on both sides, then drain them on paper towels.
7. Transfer breasts to a baking dish that will hold them all in one layer.
8. Drain all but 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil from frypan.
9. In the frypan, saute garlic for 1 minute, then add tomato sauce (puree) and basil, and bring to a boil.
10. Turn down and simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in butter.
11. Pour tomato mixture over chicken breasts, and sprinkle with parmesan.
12. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
13. Uncover and put mozzarella slices neatly over chicken pieces.
14. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes.
15. Serve and enjoy.