Chicken breasts with cheese in a frying pan

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 250g each)
• 20cm loaf of yesterday's baguette (about 110g)
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1/4 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• Table salt and freshly ground pepper
• 450 gr. tomato puree
• 1 small clove of garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 0.5 tbsp. grated mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

1. Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 thin slices. Cover with two pieces of plastic wrap and pound the meat with a mallet or a heavy skillet until the pieces are less than 1 cm thick.
2. Using a serrated knife, cut the crust off the bread, then cut the crumb into cubes. Add the bread cubes to a food processor, adding a few at a time, until you have coarse crumbs (you'll get about 1 1/4 cups of bread crumbs).
3. In a large ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and continue cooking, stirring, until the cheese melts, about 1 minute more. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons basil; set the mixture aside. Preheat the oven.
4. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season the chicken breasts with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste; add the chicken to the skillet (searing in batches if necessary) and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate.
5. Place the tomato puree in the same pan, then rinse the jar with 1 cup of water and add the liquid. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese; reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of basil and season with salt and pepper.
6. Return the chicken to the skillet, then pour the sauce over it. Top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese and most of the bread crumbs. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and the remaining breadcrumbs. Broil the chicken breasts in the oven until the cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes.