Simple Chicken Parmesan

1. Stage

Make tomato sauce: Heat oil and garlic in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until garlic starts to sizzle. Stir in tomatoes, basil, oregano, and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer; cook until sauce slightly thickens and flavors meld, 10 to 12 minutes. Cover and keep warm. (Remember, this makes twice the amount of sauce needed, so put aside half for another meal.)

2. Stage

Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain and keep warm.

3. Stage

Make chicken cutlets: Lay chicken pieces between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Use a mallet or heavy pan to pound chicken to about 1/4-inch thickness.

4. Stage

Beat egg in a shallow dish until well blended. Season bread crumbs with black pepper in another shallow dish.

5. Stage

Preheat the oven broiler to high. Place a rack 4 to 5 inches from the heat source.

6. Stage

Working with one cutlet at a time, dip chicken in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs. Lay breaded cutlets on a wire rack set over a cookie sheet (this step helps breading stay put).

7. Stage

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.

8. Stage

Fry breaded cutlets in hot oil until golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes total. Wash and dry the wire rack and return to the cookie sheet. Place fried cutlets on the clean wire rack.

9. Stage

Top each cutlet with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Broil until cheese melts and is spotty brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

10. Stage

Portion pasta onto 4 plates and top each with a chicken cutlet. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons tomato sauce over each cutlet, then sauce pasta as desired. Serve with extra Parmesan at the table.