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chicken parmesan hearts
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Chicken Parmesan Hearts
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
 

Heart-shaped panko-crusted chicken breasts topped with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce.

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: baked chicken, chicken parmesan recipe, Valentine's day recipe
Servings: 2
Author: Beth Klosterboer
Ingredients
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons  freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • olive oil cooking spray
  • 2 thick slices mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup marinara sauce
Instructions
  1. Lay the chicken breast on a cutting board.
  2. Press a large heart-shaped cookie cutter into the breast.
  3. Use kitchen shears or a knife cut though the chicken breast, cutting around the heart shape.
  4. Reserve excess chicken.
  5. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and set in a shallow dish.
  6. Pour buttermilk over chicken.
  7. Cover the dish in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.
  8. Remove and flip chicken breasts over.
  9. Return to refrigerator for 30 more minutes.
  10. Pour panko bread crumbs into a cold skillet.
  11. Add olive oil and toss to coat.
  12. Place over medium-low heat. Stir often until the bread crumbs become golden brown.
  13. Remove toasted crumbs from the heat and pour into a shallow bowl.
  14. Allow to cool.
  15. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese.
  16. Set aside.
  17. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees.
  18. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  19. Lay a metal cooling rack over pan and spray with olive oil cooking spray.
  20. Remove chicken breast hearts from the refrigerator.
  21. Pick up a chicken breast and allow the excess buttermilk to drip off.
  22. Lay chicken in the crunchy Parmesan coating.
  23. Press the coating onto the chicken.
  24. Pick up the chicken and allow excess coating to fall off before setting it on the prepared baking sheet.
  25. Spray chicken breasts with olive oil cooking spray.
  26. Bake for 20 minutes.
  27. Meanwhile, prepare your cheese shaped hearts.

  28. Cut cheese using a heart-shaped cookie cutter that is smaller than the cutter used for the chicken. You can also just sprinkle on shredded cheese if you prefer.

  29. Once the chicken has baked for 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and place a slice of cheese on top of each chicken breast.
  30. Return to oven and heat for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted, and the chicken registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
  31. Heat your marinara sauce on the stove or in the microwave until it reaches the desired temperature for serving.
  32. Pour some hot marinara sauce on a dinner plate and top with the heart-shaped chicken Parmesan.