Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Healthy Baked Chicken with Parmesan
Easy, Healthy, and Flavorful Chicken Parmesan Recipe – This Healthy Baked Chicken Parmesan Recipe Makes a Simple Family Dinner Packed with Rich, Cozy, and Indulgent Flavors!
This Healthy Baked Chicken Parmesan recipe is made with tender chicken cutlets covered with a crispy golden breading and topped with marinara sauce and cheese. The chicken is well seasoned, satisfying, and so indulgent!
Why you’ll love this Baked Chicken Parmesan Recipe?
It’s has a nice texture: The chicken cutlets have a nice golden color. They are tender on the inside, but crispy on the outside; which makes each bite so indulgent and flavorful.
It’s delicious and comforting: We all have deep and precious memories tied with the flavors in this recipe. This breaded chicken with marinara sauce and cheese is a hearty and comforting dish. The balance of all the flavors and textures makes it incredibly delicious.
It’s satisfying, filling, yet healthy: This recipe contains a lean protein and it has less calories compared to the traditional recipe. Also, the breaded mixture is made with whole wheat flour and whole wheat bread crumbs for added fiber and nutrients.
It pairs with different sides: This baked chicken parmesan works well with different side; such as, green salads, roasted veggies, or pasta.
What ingredients do I need for this recipe?
1.5 pounds chicken breast
½ cup whole wheat flour
3 large eggs
1.5 cup shredded mozzarella
1.5 cup marinara sauce
Breading Mixture
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (with no seasoning)
½ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried parsley
How to make this Baked Chicken Parmesan?
Slice in half the chicken breasts (lengthwise). Place them in a plastic wrap and pound them into ¼ inch thick slices using a meat tenderizer. This step is important; it ensures the chicken is well cooked.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line parchment paper on the baking sheet.
Place 3 large bowls on your counter. Add flour to the first one, and whisk the eggs in the second one. In the third bowl, mix together the crumbs, Parmesan, salt, pepper, dried basil, and dried parsley.
Cover each chicken cutlet with flour, then dip in the egg bowl, then in the bread crumb mixture. Perform the same steps for the rest of the cutlets.
Place all the chicken cutlets on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes; 15 minutes for each side.
Once your chicken cutlets are cooked, top each one with marinara sauce and shredded Mozzarella.
Put back to broil in the oven for about 2 minutes to melt the cheese.
Serve over pasta or salad. Enjoy!
Helpful Tips and Variations:
How can I replace the chicken? If you don’t to use chicken, you can replace with turkey, pork or with fish like cod, or salmon. For a vegetarian option, replace them with sliced eggplants or zucchini
Can I use regular flour or bread crumbs? Although using whole wheat flour/ bread crumbs makes the recipe healthier, using regular flour or crumbs is totally fine.
Can I replace the marinara sauce? Although marinara works for this recipe, I like to replace it with Pesto sauce sometimes; it’s healthy and extremely flavorful. You can also use a roasted pepper sauce, Greek yogurt sauce, or Avocado sauce or Mushroom sauce.
Can I cook this recipe a different way? Of course, There are other ways to cook these chicken cutlets. If you want to keep things on the healthy side, you can either cook them in an air fryer, a slow cooker, or on the grill. However, if you don’t mind the extra oil or calories, you can cook them by sautéing, or pan searing.
How can I store any leftovers? To be able to enjoy these tasty chicken cutlets for up to 4 days, you should store in an airtight container and separate the chicken cutlets with parchment paper to avoid sogginess. If you don’t think you’ll be serving all 6 cutlets; it’s best to store the sauce and Parmesan in separate containers from the breaded chicken.
How can I serve this Baked Chicken Parmesan?
I serve this Baked Chicken Parmesan usually with spaghetti, penne, or linguine. I like to serve a generous portion of pasta topped with extra cheese and herbs. You can also serve the crispy chicken cutlets on a bed of fresh greens drizzled lightly with a vinaigrette or you can serve them alongside roasted or steamed veggies.
During a casual meal, you can even serve them between slices of bun or Italian bread. This recipe works well for causal dinners, special occasions, or meal prep.
Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Healthy Baked Chicken with Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1.5 cup marinara sauce
- Breading Mixture
- 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs with no seasoning
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
Instructions
- Slice in half the chicken breasts (lengthwise). Place them in a plastic wrap and pound them into ¼ inch thick slices using a meat tenderizer. This step is important; it ensures the chicken is well cooked.
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line parchment paper on the baking sheet.
- Place 3 large bowls on your counter. Add flour to the first one, and whisk the eggs in the second one. In the third bowl, mix together the crumbs, Parmesan, salt, pepper, dried basil, and dried parsley.
- Cover each chicken cutlet with flour, then dip in the egg bowl, then in the bread crumb mixture. Perform the same steps for the rest of the cutlets.
- Place all the chicken cutlets on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes; 15 minutes for each side.
- Once your chicken cutlets are cooked, top each one with marinara sauce and shredded Mozzarella. Put back to broil in the oven for about 2 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Serve over pasta or salad. Enjoy!
