With prepared ingredients and time-saving steps here and there, you can simplify making chicken Parmesan. But there's no way around the somewhat involved step of breading and frying chicken breasts if you want the rich coating that contrasts so well with tangy tomato sauce.

Jarred or canned spaghetti sauce and preshredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses are key to speeding up this recipe. With those ingredients in your cupboard and refrigerator, you can even whip up a batch of chicken parm for a busy weeknight dinner.

Total Time: 40 minutes | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
  
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated and divided
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups spaghetti sauce
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 chicken breasts, thin-sliced, boneless, skinless
• 1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 425F.
   
2. On two large plates, spread out the flour on one plate and the panko mixed with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese on another plate.
3. In a small mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a fork until they are well mixed
4. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the spaghetti sauce for 4 to 5 minutes or until it is very hot.
5. Working with 1 chicken breast at a time, dredge the chicken in flour to provide a dry surface for eggs to adhere to. Then dip the breast in the egg, coating all surfaces. Finally, press the breast in the crumb-Parmesan mixture so that the entire surface is coated.
6. In a large, 12-inch frying pan set on medium high, heat the oil and gently lay down all the breasts. Because they are so thin, they will cook quickly even if they are crowded in the pan. Cook the breasts for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown.
7. Using a large spoon or ladle, spoon 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce onto the bottom of  an oven-safe casserole dish. Place the chicken breasts on the sauce in a single layer, and top them with the rest of the sauce, leaving the edges of the chicken free from sauce to give the dish a contrast in color and texture. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the sauce.
8. Bake the chicken parm in the oven for 15 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges of  the chicken. 
9. Top the casserole with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.