A traditional Italian chicken parmesan featuring tender breaded chicken breasts baked with rich tomato sauce and melted mozzarella, served over perfectly cooked spaghetti and garnished with fresh basil.
Dice one yellow onion finely using your preferred method and set aside.
Minutely chop the garlic and crush the fennel seeds into smaller pieces.
Heat some olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, add the diced onion, season with salt, and sauté over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent but not browned.
Add dried oregano, crushed fennel seeds, chopped garlic, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, stirring for another 1 to 2 minutes to avoid burning the garlic.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it darkens slightly.
Open two cans of peeled tomatoes, add the reserved juice, mix well, and pour into the pot.
Lower the heat and crush the tomatoes by hand to create a chunky sauce texture.
Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity, and a few sprigs of fresh basil.
Cover and let the sauce simmer gently until fully cooked and flavors meld.
Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise, then use a sharp knife to even them out to about one-third of an inch thick.