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1
Heat the broiler to high and arrange a rack in the top third of the oven.
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2
Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally.
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3
Place 1 piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or in a resealable plastic bag and pound to an even thickness (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick) with a meat pounder or the bottom of a pan.
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4
Repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken.
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5
Season the chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper; set aside.
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6
Place the flour in a wide, shallow dish, season well with salt and pepper, and mix; set aside.
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7
Combine the milk and eggs in another shallow dish and mix until the eggs are broken up; set aside.
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8
Mix the panko and Parmesan together in a third shallow dish.
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9
To bread the chicken, dredge a breast in the flour mixture and shake off the excess.
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10
Next, coat it in the egg mixture and let the excess drip off.
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11
Finally, press it into the panko mixture until its well coated.
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12
Set the breaded chicken on a large plate or baking sheet and repeat with the remaining breasts.
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13
Line a clean baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
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14
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, or 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.
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15
Add the chicken in batches (dont overcrowd the pan) and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
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16
Remove to the paper-towel-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken.
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17
While frying the last batch of chicken, bring the tomato sauce to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
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18
Once warmed through, stir in 1/4 cup of the basil and reserve the rest for garnish.
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19
Remove the paper towels and place the chicken directly on the baking sheet.
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20
Divide the mozzarella slices evenly among the breasts and place under the broiler until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
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21
(Rotate the baking sheet as needed for even browning.)
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22
To serve, ladle 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce onto each plate, top with chicken, and sprinkle with the remaining basil.
