Mozzarella Stick Chicken Parmesan

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and set-up the dredging line (Stations A, B & C, in that order, with C being closest to the stove): A: Place the flour on a large plate. B: Crack the eggs in a shallow bowl and lightly beat with a fork. C: Place the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk together until combined.
2. Add 1/2 cup of the olive oil and the butter to a nonstick 4-5-quart sauté pan (one with higher walls) and bring to medium-high heat. Once the butter's melted, tilt the pan so the butter and oil are evenly combined and reduce the heat to medium-low.
3. Time to bread the chicken! But let’s make sure to bread the cutlets only just before pan frying each batch of them (2 at a time). In assembly line fashion, place each chicken cutlet in the flour mixture (station A) and dredge both sides until fully coated, then coat both sides in the egg (station B), and finally dredge in the breadcrumb mixture (station C) on both sides until fully coated. (NOTE: You'll have leftover breadcrumbs. Set the bowl aside and we'll come back to them in Step 5).
4. Add the chicken directly from the assembly line to the heated pan (this is why having Station C closest to the stove makes the most sense). You'll likely get two cutlets in at a time, so if using 4 cutlets, you'll do this in 2 batches, and so on. Cook on each side for about 2-2 1/2 minutes, but check on the cutlets every 30-45 seconds or so to make sure the breadcrumb crust doesn't burn. Rather than 2-2 1/2 minutes on each side continuously, you can flip it a couple times every 30-45 seconds over 4-5 minutes to make sure of this. When done, the crust of the cutlets should be mostly golden-brown in color with a few darker specks or shades here and there. (NOTE: If using cutlets thicker than 1/4-inch, they will most likely not be fully cooked at this point, and that's perfectly okay as they will be in Step 6). Using tongs, remove the pan-fried cutlets to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Repeat the process until all the chicken is pan-fried.
5. Add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil to the remaining breadcrumbs and mix with a fork until absorbed. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. (see Jeff's Tips). Layer as follows per chicken cutlet (NOTE: scroll up to look at the step-by-step photos for simple visuals): 1. Sprinkle enough breadcrumbs to cover the footprint of the cutlet. 2. Lay 2 slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the breadcrumbs, so it serves as a "sheet" for the cutlet. 3. Lay the cutlet on top of the cheese. 4. Lay another 2 slices of cheese on top of the cutlet so it serves as a "blanket," mostly covering it. 5. Sprinkle the top of the cheese-covered cutlets with the remaining breadcrumbs.
6. Place the baking sheet with the cutlets on the rack 3/4 to the top of the pre-heated oven. Bake for 10 minutes, which will ensure the bottom cheese layer looks nice and browned/crisped on the edges.
7. Just before the chicken is about to be done, heat the sauce in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, or until hot (see Jeff's Tips).
8. After the chicken is baked, let it rest for 2 minutes before serving. (NOTE: The chicken should certainly be fully cooked. But, as all ovens vary, if you want to be safe to make sure, slice a cutlet in half. The inside should look perfectly white and juicy. If you see any traces of pink, you'll need to bake it a bit longer until it's done. You can also stick a meat thermometer in the center of cutlet where it should read 165°F.)
9. Use a spatula and slide it under the crusty, cheesy bottom of each cutlet. It will very easily come right off the tray thanks to the parchment paper! and place on a plate. Drape some of the heated marinara over the chicken (how much you want is totally your call) and top with additional Parmesan, if desired. You can also serve over pasta or on a hero roll as an incredible sandwich!