1-Preheat oven and prepare pasta: Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in top third; if serving with pasta, cook spaghetti al dente according to package directions.

2-Prepare chicken cutlets: Slice chicken breasts into 4 thin cutlets, pat dry, and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

3-Set up breading station: Place flour, beaten eggs, and a mixture of panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, and Italian seasoning in separate shallow bowls.

4-Warm marinara sauce: Heat marinara sauce in a small saucepan over low heat while you bread the chicken.

5-Heat oil and bread chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat; dredge each cutlet in flour, egg, then breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere.

6-Pan-fry chicken: Fry 2 cutlets at a time for 2–3 minutes per side until golden, then transfer to a plate; add remaining oil and fry the last two.

7-Bake cutlets: Return all cutlets to the skillet and bake at 400°F for 5 minutes to set the breading.

8-Broil with sauce and cheese: Switch broiler to high; spoon 2 tablespoons warm marinara over each cutlet, top with shredded mozzarella, and broil until bubbly and golden.

9-Serve: Toss pasta with remaining marinara, serve chicken immediately, and garnish with fresh basil if desired.