Chicken parm with pasta and breadcrumbs

Ingredients

• 1/2 white onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lb. chicken tenders (skinless, boneless)
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 16 oz. short pasta like cavatappi
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 cups high-quality marinara sauce (16 oz.)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• olive oil, flaky sea salt, red pepper flakes (to taste)

Instructions

1. Prepare ingredients:Dice onion.Mince garlic.Cut chicken into 1″ pieces and season with sea salt. (Using kitchen shears makes this quick!)Start boiling pasta water.
2. Cook pasta to al dente in a large pot of salted water, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
3. While pasta is cooking, cook chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and chicken and cook for about 5-8 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. (Turn down the heat to medium if things are browning.)
4. While chicken is cooking, melt butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and add panko bread crumbs. Stir frequently and cook until golden brown, removing from heat and transferring to a bowl immediately to stop cooking.
5. When the chicken is cooked through, stir in marinara sauce. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir mozzarella cheese into the cooked chicken mixture.
6. Place a serving of pasta onto a plate and top with chicken mixture, toasted bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, flaky sea salt, and red pepper flakes to taste.