Looking for a healthier classic that the entire family will love? This easy Baked Chicken Parmesan recipe is what you need! It’s a lightened-up version of a favorite family recipe that’s delicious and packed with flavor.
Hello, this is Heather from Kitchen Concoctions and I’m excited to share my recipe for Lightened-Up Baked Chicken Parmesan with you today! Growing up in Texas, I didn’t eat much Italian food, besides the basics like Fettuccine Alfredo, Spaghetti Bolognese (using store-bought sauce), or lasagna.
Then I met my husband and his family, who are Italian, and was introduced to all kinds of Italian dishes! I learned how to make homemade manicotti pasta, perfected my now go-to Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe, and even started creating my own version of classic Italian recipes, like this Lemon Ricotta Cake with Blueberries!
Lightened-Up Baked Chicken Parmesan
Even after enjoying all those classic Italian dishes, my favorite Italian dish will always be Baked Chicken Parmesan. You see, that was the very first dinner my husband made for me, way back when we first started dating and it totally won me over!
Traditionally, Chicken Parmesan is not the healthiest dish as it is breaded and fried, but the way my husband’s family always makes it, is to bake the chicken in the oven. Over the years, we’ve made this favorite family recipe even more healthy by using whole wheat bread crumbs, part skim cheese, and my go-to homemade marinara sauce (or a low sodium store-bought marinara sauce). But the secret to juicy and flavorful Baked Chicken Parmesan is dipping the chicken in Greek yogurt, instead of the traditional egg and flour batter, before dipping it in the bread crumbs.
Serve this Baked Chicken Parmesan with a simple Italian side salad or Kale Caesar Salad and some whole wheat or low carb pasta, and you have a healthier classic the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 1 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon each Kosher salt and black pepper
- ½ cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ cups low sodium marinara sauce
- 3/4 cup grated part skim mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil or Italian parsley, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. If using foil, spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally, to produce two thinner chicken cutlets. (You will have six chicken cutlets total.)
- In a shallow bowl or pie plate, stir together breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon each Kosher salt and black pepper.
- In another shallow bowl or pie plate, stir together remaining salt and pepper with the Greek yogurt.
- Dip the chicken cutlets one at a time into the Greek yogurt, evenly coating both sides with a thin, even layer of yogurt. Next dip the yogurt coated chicken cutlets into the breadcrumb mixture. Place breaded chicken onto the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Bake the chicken in a preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove chicken from oven and spoon three to four tablespoons of marinara sauce over each piece of chicken. Top marinara sauce with approximately two tablespoons of grated mozzarella cheese.
- Return chicken to oven and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Serve garnished with fresh basil or parsley, if desired.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: To make gluten free, substitute whole wheat panko bread crumbs with gluten free bread crumbs. Or in a small food processor, combine ½ cup certified gluten free rolled oats with ½ almonds and pulse until fine crumbs are formed.
We hope you love this Lightened-Up Baked Chicken Parmesan recipe from SoFabFood Home Chef, Heather from Kitchen Concoctions, as much as we do. If you enjoyed this recipe, you can find more like it by visiting our dinner section. For daily recipe inspiration, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
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