Thin, crisp chicken breast topped with concentrated tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, and Parmesan. The breading is browned first in the skillet, then the oven finishes the center and melts the cheese without letting the sauce soak the entire crust. An Italian-American classic now familiar on Peruvian menus and in home kitchens.
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Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute; add the finely chopped or crushed tomatoes and one quarter of the salt. Cook uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is red, concentrated, and thick enough to sit on a spoon without releasing watery liquid around it. Turn off the heat, stir in the chopped basil, and keep warm.
Divide the chicken breast into 4 cutlets. Place them between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound them to about 7 to 8 mm thick. Pat the surfaces dry and season both sides with all the black pepper and half of the salt. The cutlets should be evenly thick so they brown before drying out.
Place the flour in one bowl and beat the egg in another. In a third container, combine the panko with half of the Parmesan and the remaining quarter of the salt. Coat each cutlet first in flour, shaking off the excess thoroughly, then in egg, and finally in the Parmesan panko, pressing gently for an even coating. Let the breaded cutlets rest for 5 minutes so the crust adheres better.
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the cutlets in batches for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the crust is deeply golden and dry. Transfer to paper towels; there is no need to prolong frying to cook the centers completely because they will finish in the oven.
Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet. Spoon a moderate layer of sauce over the center of each cutlet, leaving some of the edges exposed to preserve crispness. Top with the mozzarella and remaining Parmesan. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling and the chicken reaches 74°C / 165°F at the thickest point. Serve immediately, with any extra sauce alongside. And that's it! Crisp crust, hot tomato, and melted cheese: that's the whole contract. 😌
