30-minute chicken parmigiana bake

 

Take a rich tomato sauce base and top with tasty chicken schnitzels and eggplant for a family meal that's ready when you are.

Cooking Time

30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 (700g) chicken breast schnitzels (uncrumbed), halved crossways
• 1 medium brown onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 340g jar fire-roasted pepper strips, drained
• 230g tub diced antipasto chargrilled eggplant, drained (see note)
• 1 1/2 cups tomato pasta sauce
• 1/3 cup Fountain Spicy Red sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 100g mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• Basil leaves, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, in 2 batches, for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
2. Heat remaining oil in pan. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until onion has softened. Add peppers and eggplant. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add pasta sauce and Spicy Red sauce. Bring to the boil. Stir in basil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place half the chicken in a 10 cup-capacity ovenproof dish. Pour over half the sauce mixture. Top with remaining chicken and sauce mixture. Top with cheese. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until top is golden. Serve topped with basil.

Notes

Serve with cooked short pasta such as spirals, penne or farfalle.
Chicken breast schnitzels (uncrumbed) can also be sold as chicken minute steaks.
We used a tub of Woolworths antipasto chargrilled eggplant that's already diced. You could use 200g chargrilled eggplant from the supermarket deli, diced, instead.