Healthy Chicken Parmesan
A guilt-free version of a classic Italian-American dish featuring tender chicken breasts coated in seasoned breadcrumbs, topped with marinara sauce and gooey mozzarella.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 0.5 cup whole wheat flour
- 3 large eggs whisked
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1.5 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup unseasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
- 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Butterfly the chicken breasts by slicing them horizontally to create thinner cutlets, and then pound them down to about ¼ inch thick.
- Set up a dredging station with three shallow bowls: one with whole wheat flour, the second with whisked eggs, and the third with a mixture of bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, dried basil, and dried parsley.
Breading and Baking
- Dip each chicken cutlet into the flour, then the egg mixture, and finally coat it in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the breaded chicken cutlets on the prepared baking sheet and bake for a total of 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- After baking, spoon marinara sauce over each cutlet and sprinkle mozzarella on top.
- Return to the oven and broil for about 2 minutes, watching carefully until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serving
- Serve the Healthy Chicken Parmesan hot, either over whole grain pasta, atop a fresh salad, or with zucchini noodles.
Notes
Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before slicing to keep juices locked in. Experiment with seasonings in the breadcrumb mixture for added flavor.