Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a quarter-sized baking sheet with a wire baking rack, then lay a layer of paper towels on top of the baking rack. Set aside.
Cut the large chicken breast in half, keeping your knife parallel to the cutting board to create a thin top half and thin bottom half of chicken. (Or use two small chicken breasts, about 5 oz. each).
Place one of the chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound the chicken with a meat mallet until it is 1/4″ thick. Repeat with remaining chicken breast half. Season both chicken breast halves generously with salt and pepper on both sides and set aside.
Gather three shallow dishes. In one dish, combine the flour, Italian seasoning, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir to combine. In the second shallow dish, beat the egg. In the third shallow dish, combine the panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
Dip one of the chicken breast halves into the flour mixture, coating both sides thoroughly. Shake off any excess, then dip it into the egg, again coating both sides and letting any excess drip off. Press the chicken into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides thoroughly. Set aside and repeat with second chicken breast half.
Heat ¼” of oil in a pan over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Again working one a time, cook the chicken in the oil for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer the crispy chicken to the prepared baking sheet (on top of the paper towel-lined wire rack), and immediately sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Repeat with second chicken breast half, letting both rest on the paper towels to absorb any excess oil for a minute or two.
Remove the paper towels from underneath the chicken. Divide the marinara sauce over the tops of the chicken, followed by the mozzarella. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400 F until cheese is browned and bubbly.
Garnish with freshly chopped basil and serve hot!
Notes
Avocado Oil: I love to use avocado oil for frying and sautéing. It has a high smoke point, a neutral flavor, and it works consistently well for me. Other oil options would be canola or vegetable oil.Mozzarella Cheese: I love fresh mozzarella for the light taste and squeaky texture. However, it isn’t quite as “gooey” as low-moisture mozzarella (like a squishy block of mozzarella cheese or a bag of shredded mozzarella). You are more than welcome to use a block of mozzarella that you cut into thin strips or shred, OR you can use bagged, shredded mozzarella if you prefer. Marinara Sauce: An important ingredient. The chicken parmesan will taste delicious no matter what, but when you use a really high quality marinara sauce like this one from Rao’s … it’s really delicious.