Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Set up a dredging station: Place three shallow bowls on the counter. In the first bowl, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and½ teaspoon pepper and mix with a fork. In the second bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and mustard. In the third bowl, mix the panko with the parmesan.

Put each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and use a kitchen mallet to carefully pound it until it's about ½ inch thick. Pat the chicken dry on both sides with a paper towel and sprinkle each side with a pinch of salt. Dredge the chicken breast through the flour mixture so both sides are lightly coated, patting to remove any excess.

Dip the chicken into the egg mixture to coat and finally dredge in the panko mixture, pressing on both sides to get a good crust. Place the breaded chicken on a separate plate and repeat with the remaining 3 pieces.

Line another plate with paper towels. Pour 1 inch of olive oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 350°F.

Using tongs, carefully add 2 of the chicken breasts to the pan (you cook them in batches

so they brown properly) and cook until golden brown on the outside but not quite cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove them and place on the paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining breasts.

Spread half of the marinara sauce in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Place the chicken in the dish in a single layer. Spoon the remaining sauce evenly over the chicken. Top each piece of chicken with 2 mozzarella slices.

Bake until the mozzarella starts to brown and the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve garnished with chopped basil and over the hot pasta.