Recipe: Chicken Marinara

This is a very easy recipe that cooks quickly and can be used in a variety of different ways.  I had chicken thighs on hand so I used those but chicken breast could be used as well (just vary the cooking time to make sure its done).  With my completed chicken marinara I made sandwiches for work (which worked great on hamburger buns) but if you wanted something fancier you could pair it with pasta tossed in a bit of the leftover tomato sauce and paired with some vegetables.  Or you could even cube the chicken in to bite sized pieces and serve on a toothpick topped with a mozzarella cube on top as a sort of appetizer.

You will need:

However many pieces of chicken you want to cook
Your favorite tomato sauce (I used a tomato, basil, and garlic sauce for some extra flavor)
Salt
Pepper
Flour
Paprika (optional, I just like it)
Oil
Mozzarella Cheese to top if desired.

Start by putting a small amount of oil in the bottom of a large saute pan and spread with a napkin or paper towel to coat bottom.  Then heat the pan over high heat until very hot.  While the pan is heating generously coat each side with salt and pepper.  Use the paprika as desired.  Then very lightly dust with flour.  This will help the sauce thicken and stick on the chicken. When the pan is hot add the chicken and cook 7 minutes on the first side, turning down the heat to medium high if needed.  Flip the chicken and sear on the second side (3-4 minutes).  Then add the sauce over the chicken and turn to coat (making sure to wind up the side that was only down for 3 minutes).  After 3-4 more minutes add the mozzarella on top and put a lid over the pan so that the steam quickly melts the cheese.  Remove from heat and serve as desired.

Servings: The # of chicken pieces you prepare