Healthy Chicken Parmesan
This recipe is one of my families absolute favorites! I pride myself on my Italian background, so cooking anything Italian is my absolute favorite:) This Healthy Chicken Parmesan is probably one of the healthiest versions you will find out there. Although the recipe calls for breadcrumbs, the overall glycemic index of this meal is on the lower end. What does this mean? Well, you can make this for your family and know you are serving a delicious and healthy meal that will not spike your blood sugar levels. This ultimately means that you will keep your body in the “fat burning” zone as opposed to the “fat storage” zone. With that said, lets get to it…
Main Ingredients
6 medium Boneless skinless chicken breasts fat trimmed and pounded down
2 1/2 -3 cups tomato/pasta sauce preferably Sarah's Signature Sauce
1 1/2 cups low fat italian/mozzarella cheese shredded
1 tbsp olive oil divide between 2 pans/skillets
1 tbsp spray butter divide between 2 pan/skillets
"Egg Wash" Ingredients
1 large egg white
1 large egg
1 tbsp spray butter parkay
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
"Breadcrumb Mixture" Ingredients
1 cup low fat grated parmesan/italian blend cheese any brand
1 cup italian breadcrumbs Progresso is a great brand
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Gather all ingredients, a cutting board, knife, spatula, knife, bowl, plate, large Ziploc baggie, meat tenderizer, large baking dish (or 2), and a skillet pan (or 2 to save time).
Trim fat off of the chicken breasts and then pound each breast down to about 1/3-1/2 in in thickness. Place each breast (one by one) into the Ziploc baggie and pound the chicken with the meat tenderizer until desired thickness. Remove the chicken breast from the baggie and repeat for all other pieces of chicken.
Once you have pounded down all the chicken breasts, make the "egg wash" in a bowl by using a fork to whisk the ingredients together. On a plate, mix the "breadcrumb mixture" together. Make sure you mix well you your hands, leaving no clumps of parmesan cheese.
At this point, make sure you have the pans on the stovetop already prepped with the olive oil and spray butter combo. Feel free to simply use more olive oil in place of the spray butter if desired. I typically mix the 2 ingredients together with my fingers or a spoon while in the pan (to coat the entire bottom of the pan). One by one, dip the entire chicken breast into the "egg wash" and let the excess drip off. Immediately place the wet chicken breast into the "breadcrumb mixture" and the flip a few times in order to ensure the entire breast is covered with the mixture. Place each coated chicken breast into the prepared pan.
Cook the chicken breasts on medium heat for about 5 minutes and then flip once they are brown. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to brown the other side. Time may vary according to the thickness of the chicken and stove temperature. If necessary, add more olive oil to the skillet if you notice the pan is too dry.
Pour about 1/2 cup sauce into a baking dish...or enough to cover the bottom in a thin layer. Place the browned chicken breasts over the sauce. Top each piece of chicken with about 3-4 tbsp. of sauce. I may be biased, but my Signature Italian Sauce is the most delicious option for this recipe! Top each chicken breast with about 2-3 tbsp. of low fat shredded Italian/mozzarella cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes on 375 degrees and broil for 1 minute if you would like to brown your cheese more.
Take out of the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Top with more sauce (if desired) and a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan cheese over a bed of zucchini noodles. I basically just used my vegetti and put the zucchini noodles into a pan. I warmed the zucchini on medium heat with a little spray butter and freshly shaved Parmesan cheese. The zucchini will release water, so drain as needed. Warm for just a few minutes to your desired texture and serve the Chicken Parmesan over the zucchini noodles.