Chicken Pizzaiola | Lidia Bastianich

Season the chicken breasts with salt, and place in a releasable plastic bag. Pour in the buttermilk, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Drain the chicken, and preheat oven to 400˚F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the panko, grated Grana Padano, dried oregano, chopped parsley, chopped basil, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and ½ tablespoon salt. Stir until thoroughly combined.

Put the drained chicken breasts in the bowl with the seasoned breadcrumbs one at a time, and pat well on both sides so the crumbs cover the chicken on all sides. Set the breaded chicken breasts on the parchment paper, arranged so they don’t touch each other. 

Bake the chicken until the coating is crisp and browned and the chicken is just cooked through, about 15 minutes. While the chicken bakes, combine the tomato sauce, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and ¼ cup basil leaves in a blender, and puree until smooth. Season with salt. Pour the puree into a small saucepan, and warm it over low heat.

When the chicken is just cooked through, top with the sliced mozzarella and bake until the cheese is just melted, about 2 minutes. Spread the tomato emulsion on plates, top with the chicken and a roasted cherry tomato, if using, and serve.