Easy Chicken Parmesan.

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil and onion. Cook for four to five minutes, or until the onions turn translucent in the middle and lightly golden brown along the edges.

Add the garlic cloves, season with a pinch of salt, and cook for one to two minutes, or until the edges of the garlic just begin to turn light brown.

Add the crushed red pepper flakes, fennel seed, and oregano, and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, for two to three minutes, or until the tomato paste has darkened in color.

Add the whole peeled tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you add them to the pot, and stir to combine.

Add the basil, then season with salt and pepper, and sugar, if the sauce is too acidic. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for one hour, or until the flavors have married.

Preheat the oven to broil.

Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Using a boning knife, or other thin flexible knife, slice the breasts in half horizontally.

Add each chicken breast to the middle of a large piece of plastic wrap and pull the bottom part of the plastic wrap over the chicken to cover it. Using a meat mallet or a sturdy pot, pound the chicken out to 1/3 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken until all have been pounded thin. Set aside.

Add the flour to a wide, shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a second wide, shallow bowl, add the eggs and a pinch of salt. Whisk until the eggs are homogeneous then set aside.

In a third wide, shallow bowl, add the panko, Italian breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, and lemon zest together. Whisk to combine and set aside.

Add the olive oil to a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Prepare two sheet trays with wire racks and set aside.

Working with one chicken piece at a time, add the chicken to the flour and coat both sides. Shake off any excess, then transfer to the eggs. Coat in the eggs, allowing any excess to drip off, then move it to the breadcrumb mixture. Press firmly to adhere the breadcrumbs to the chicken, then transfer to one of the racked sheet trays. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Once the oil is shimmering, slowly add two chicken breasts to the pan. Gently shake the pan to prevent the chicken breasts from sticking to the bottom. Cook for four to five minutes, or until the chicken is deeply golden brown. Flip and repeat on the other side.

Transfer to the other racked sheet tray and season with salt. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Once all the chicken is cooked, spoon several tablespoons of sauce over each chicken breast. Top each with mozzarella cheese and broil for two to four minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted and has browned in a few spots.

Remove from the oven and serve with spaghetti, additional sauce, Parmesan cheese, and basil.