Comfort Food

I used to love to cook. I started at a very young age, cooking for my family by watching my mom. Eventually my three older sisters moved out leaving me and my two younger sisters at home when I was about nine. I loved to cook and felt like such a big help that eventually it became my thing to do for the family. When I first got married, I was so thankful to have this important skill not only under my belt but something I enjoyed and liked enough that i created new recipes in the moment and my ex quickly put on the pounds. One of my most favorite meals that I would make for special occasions or for company was chicken parmigiana. This was the meal I made when we got engaged, when I first moved in with the ex, when we had our kids, to celebrate our anniversaries and was my specialty. I haven't made it once over the past year.

Until tonight. Tonight I decided I was in the mood for some chicken parm and my oldest dd asked to help and then she asked me to write down the recipe because it was one of her favorite meals and one day when she was older she wanted to make it for me when she was married. Talk about making me weepy. So without any further ado, I'm writing it down here to share with her one day.

Nellie's Comfort Chicken Parm-

• 5-7 chicken thighs (Boneless Skinless)
• Balsamic Vinegar 
• 2 eggs
• 10 pieces of bread (any kind)
• Vegetable Oil
• Olive Oil
• Garlic Salt
• Minced onions
• Italian Seasoning
• Your favorite spaghetti sauce (we love Prego)
• Angel Hair Noodles
• PAM

The night before take your chicken thighs and place them in a freezer gallon bag, pour balsamic vinegar over it until covered. Let marinate in the fridge overnight (I like to marinate when i buy chicken for 24 hours, then place in the freezer and pull it out the night before I know i'm going to use it).

First we make our own bread crumbs by putting 10 pieces of bread on a cookie sheet and lightly spread olive oil on both sides. Cook each side for about 10 mins till firm but not completely browned. Use a food processor or any other tool that will cut them up fine enough. Set to the side

Take the eggs and beat. Take chicken and immerse a piece at a time into the eggs. Then place the chicken into the bread crumbs being sure to thoroughly cover. Once it is covered season each piece with garlic salt, minced onions and italian seasoning. 

Take large skillet and pour enough vegetable oil in it for the chicken to be able to be half in it. Turn on medium high heat and let it heat up. Once it's hot enough place chicken in, it will sizzle and this is how you know it's hot enough. Turn over once each side is lightly browned, don't overdue it or you'll burn the outside. 

Now take a pyrex or other dish that you use to cook things in the oven and spray the bottom with Pam oil. Place chicken in it. Spray tops of chicken as well. Cover with foil. Place in over at 350 degrees for at least 20 minutes (I check by cutting the biggest piece in half to check for pinkness). It all depends on what kind of oven and how thick your pieces of chicken are. But give it 10 minutes more and check, continue if not cooked still. Once it's no longer pink, start boiling water for angel hair noodles and get those cooked. Take spaghetti sauce and cover the chicken (in the same dish it is in) and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over it. Bake for 10 more minutes uncovered. 

Viola! The best chicken parm ever (in my 100% biased opinion)! :)

(Please note that in the pic I didn't put the chicken back in the oven after it was covered in sauce and cheese. If you're out of time as I was tonight you can just warm up the sauce and put it on each piece as you serve it onto plates and cover in sauce.)