Description
This Healthy Chicken Parmesan recipe offers a lighter twist on the classic Italian-American favorite by using whole wheat flour and bread crumbs, lean chicken breasts, and baked instead of fried preparation. The result is a crispy, cheesy chicken dish topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella, perfect for a nutritious and delicious family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 large chicken breasts or 1.5 lbs chicken cutlets)
Breading
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (unseasoned)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
Topping
- 1.5 cups marinara sauce
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Butterfly and pound chicken breasts: Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create thin cutlets. Place them between plastic wrap and use a meat tenderizer to pound until approximately ¼ inch thick. This step is essential to ensure even cooking and tender meat, yielding about 6 cutlets.
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even browning.
- Prepare breading stations: Set out three shallow bowls – one with whole wheat flour, one with whisked eggs, and one with a mixture of whole wheat bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, dried basil, and dried parsley.
- Bread the chicken cutlets: Working assembly line style, coat each chicken cutlet first in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in the egg mixture, and finally press gently into the bread crumb mixture to coat completely. Repeat this for all cutlets.
- Bake the breaded chicken: Arrange the coated cutlets on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Flip the cutlets carefully, then bake for an additional 15 minutes until cooked through and crispy.
- Add sauce and cheese: After the 30 minutes of baking, spoon about ¼ cup of marinara sauce and sprinkle ¼ cup shredded mozzarella over each cutlet.
- Broil to melt cheese: Switch the oven to broil and return the chicken to the oven for about 2 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted and bubbly. Watch closely to avoid burning.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve the Healthy Chicken Parmesan with your choice of pasta or a fresh salad for a balanced meal.
Notes
- Butterflying and pounding the chicken ensures it cooks evenly and remains tender.
- Using whole wheat flour and bread crumbs makes this dish more fiber-rich and healthy.
- Baking instead of frying keeps the fat content lower.
- Watch the broil step carefully; cheese can burn quickly under high heat.
- This dish pairs well with a simple green salad or whole grain pasta.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Healthy Chicken Parmesan, Baked Chicken Parmesan, Whole Wheat Chicken Parmesan, Low Fat Chicken Parmesan, Italian Chicken Recipe, Easy Chicken Dinner
