Panko Crusted Chicken Paillards with Garlic, Tomatoes & Basil

Here is a simple, healthy and fresh chicken dish that is great for an easy weeknight dinner. I coated the chicken with panko crumbs and Parmesan, baked it and topped with freshly sauteed tomatoes, garlic and basil. A lot of flavor for so few ingredients.

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 very large chicken breasts (or 4 small)
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
5 cloves of garlic
2 ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a cutting board, lay out the chicken breasts, cover with plastic wrap and pound them out until they are about 1/2 inch thick. Try to make sure the thickness is even so the chicken cooks consistently. In a large bowl, combine panko, Parmesan, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg with water. Dip the chicken breasts individually in the egg, then coat with the breading mixture and set on a greased baking sheet. Put in the oven and bake approximately 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken, until the internal temperature reaches about 165 degrees.

In the meantime, mince the garlic, dice the tomatoes and finely chop the basil. Heat a saucepan on med-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and tomatoes. Cook about 5 minutes, until tomatoes are slightly softened. Add the basil and mix well with the tomatoes and garlic. Remove from the heat. Plate the chicken breasts and top with the tomato mixture.