Cooking for Zo

Taste Level: GR
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 15-20 min.
Cook Time: 15-20 min.
Difficulty: 1

I've been talking about making these for close to two years. I'm not sure where the idea originated, I just remember two years ago saying I was going to make them and then just now getting around to it. Sometimes with these old ideas I actually have to check http://www.cookingforzo.com/ myself to see if I've in fact already made them and just can't remember doing it. So I scrolled through chicken recipes and was surprised that the recipe in my mind was so clear yet I'd never made them. I jotted down what I saw in my head, gave Zo some notes of what I wanted in the Marinara and we went to cooking. We munched down on them outside as the Sun was just putting itself to bed and they were great! This two year old idea had not gone stale!

Ingredients:
Chicken Dippers
2 chicken breast cut into strips and nuggets
1 1/2 tbsp Romano (freshly grated)
1 1/2 tbsp Parmesan (freshly grated)
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
3 tbsp-1/4 cup mozzarella (shredded)
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
2-3 tbsp butter (melted)

Marinara Dipping Sauce (4 servings)
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes (diced)
3 tbsp red onion (diced)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley (diced)
1/2 tsp fresh sweet basil (diced)
1/2 tsp fresh oregano (diced)
1/2 tsp fresh thyme (diced)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8-1/4 tsp Cayenne
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp sugar
kosher salt (to taste)
fresh crack pepper (to taste)

Marinara Dipping Sauce
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer uncovered over med-low heat for 8-10 min. Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool. (I like my dipping marinara chilled.)

Chicken Dippers
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and heat your baking stone (or pizza stone.)

In a medium bowl whisk together bread crumb, Romano, Parmesan, pepper and salt.

Melt butter and pour into a small bowl.

Carefully remove baking stone from oven. Dip chicken nuggets into butter coating well, then roll them in breadcrumb mixture until covered completely. Lay each coated chicken nuggets on heated baking stone. Place baking stone on the ovens middle rack and cook chicken for 5 minutes. Remove baking stone from oven and using kitchen tongs flip all nuggets over. Place baking stone back into oven and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Remove baking stone once more, sprinkle nuggets with mozzarella cheese and bake for 5 min additional minutes or until cheese is fully melted.

Serve chicken hot with warm or chilled marinara, enjoy!