Chicken Parm Bites

Aired on: June 10, 2008, January 17, 2008

It's party-size chicken parm!

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken tenderloins, each one cut into thirds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
5 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
Few grates lemon zest
1/4 cup (a small handful) parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup store-bought pesto

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Arrange three medium-size bowls on the counter and fill one with the flour, one with the eggs and one with a mixture of the breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, lemon zest and parsley.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and coat each piece first in the flour, then the egg and finally in the breadcrumb-cheese mixture.

Place a large pan over medium-high heat with 3 tablespoons EVOO, about 3 turns of the pan. Cook the chicken pieces in 2 batches, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, 5-6 minutes.

While the pieces are cooking, place a medium-size pot over medium-high heat with the crushed tomatoes and bring up to a bubble. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the pesto.

Serve the chicken bites with the tomato-pesto sauce alongside.