Crouton Chicken Parmesan

So I've decided that I'm not going to win any food photography awards from this blog!  But I'm o.k. with that.  If it tastes good that's what is important.  I need to also remember to take pictures before everyone digs in and half the pan is gone.  I'm learning as I go.  This was a dish that I found on Pinterest.  If you aren't on Pinterest you should be!  It's a great way to keep recipes, ideas, and everything organized.  I have about 40 food blogs I regularly follow and this works great to keep recipes that I want to try in a folder (or pin board) and also my favorite recipes I have in a folder.  This recipe came from Food Wishes.  It is a fun blog I just recently found and I enjoy the videos.  I changed up the recipe a bit and you can do it either way.



Use some good seasonings from Penzey's Spices in this recipe for great flavor.  If you haven't tried Penzey's yet you need to you won't be disappointed.  They have the best spices EVER!  I just got my new magazine yesterday and there is a $5 off $10 purchase if you use the coupon code 00002C that expires May 28, 2012. 

So recommendations for today: try Penzeys and Pinterest :)







Crouton Chicken Parmesan
recipe adapted from Food Wishes
2 split chicken breast (bone-in split chicken breast is what I used)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 onion
Italian herb mix
garlic salt
olive oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 jar (about 23 oz) of your favorite marinara or spaghetti sauce
1 package of garlic flavored croutons (I used Texas Toast Garlic Butter)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
about 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

You will want to start this cooking in the morning in the crock pot.  My favorite grocery store, Martin's, had their bone-in split chicken breast on sale for 87 cents/lb.  That's a great deal so I stocked up.  Cut up the onion and throw it in the crock pot with your chicken broth.  You can use a can, box, or do what I do and use chicken soup base and water.  I put about a teaspoon of the Italian herb mix in.  Put whatever you want in there and let the chicken cook on low for about 6 hours or until finished. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Let the chicken cool and save your juice from the crock pot.  Drizzle olive oil in a casserole dish (mine was a little smaller than 13x9").  Add minced garlic to the bottom of the pan.  When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin, take the meat off, and place in the bottom of the casserole dish.  Pour about 1/2-1 cup of the remaining juice over the chicken.  Sprinkle garlic salt over the chicken and then pour the jar of marinara or sauce over the chicken.  Next, sprinkle about 1 cup of mozzarella and half of the parmesan cheese over the sauce.  Spread bag of croutons over this cheese mix.  I added a little more Italian herb mix too and then top with remaining cheese.  Bake for about 25 minutes or until browned.
 

While my chicken was baking, I poured my chicken stock from the crock pot through a strainer into a pot to boil my pasta that I was serving along with this.  I use a low carb pasta called Dreamfields Pasta that is delicious.