Who doesn’t LOVE Chicken Parmesan??? Juicy chicken, tasty marinara sauce, and loaded with cheese! This recipe leans more on the healthier side without the bread crumbs and is one you’re sure to love! Healthy chicken parmesan...yes please!
Cheese makes everything better, doesn’t it?? I’m a sucker for cheese with is probably one of the reasons I love chicken parm so much. This recipe is super easy without the breadcrumbs and you won’t taste the difference when it’s loaded with cheese!
So the first thing you wanna do is put the sauce up. You'll cook this for about 15-20 minutes before adding it to the chicken and baking.
Crushed tomatoes, garlic, a few spices. Simple sauce...simple ingredients. Click here to go to my sauce recipe.
How to make tomato sauce:
- In a large Dutch Oven, add ¼ cup of olive oil.
- When heated add the 4 cloves of garlic and cook until fragrant – about 30 secs to 1 min.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, sauce/diced (if using), basil, onion powder, salt, pepper and red pepper (if using).
- Cook on medium heat until bubbling, then simmer for 15-20 mins
So, like I said...we're not using breadcrumb in this chicken parmesan recipe. We're also not using chicken breasts (although you absolutely can). I used boneless chicken thighs, seasoned them with salt and pepper and dredged them in brown rice flour. Ready to fry!
Heat some olive oil in a pan and start frying up the chicken thighs! Look at how nice and crispy they look!
A friend of mine exports olive oil from Croatia and was nice enough to give me a few bottles of Brachia Olive Oil. Can be used every day and is absolutely delish!
Once the sauce is cooked, add a ladle or two to the bottom of a baking dish to prevent sticking. Then add the cooked chicken thighs.
What side goes with chicken parmesan?
There's a number of side dishes you can prepare to go with your chicken parmesan. Obviously, the one we think of first is pasta, but there are other healthy options you can make.
I love making spinach or broccoli with my chicken parmesan. They both compliment the dish so well and give you your daily dose of greens. I also love cheating a little bit and mixing the tomato sauce in with them. Zucchini works well too and so do side salads.
Add the tomato sauce (leaving some in the Dutch Oven), cover with the sliced/shredded mozzarella cheese, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, and bake at 475 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Enjoy!
Tools I used in this recipe:
- Lodge 7.5 Quart Dutch Oven
- All-Clad Fry Pan
- All-Clad Lasagna Pan
- Brachia Imported Croatian Olive Oil
- Pyrex Measuring Cup
- Pyrex Custard Cup
- KP Kitchen Measuring Cup/Spoons
- Riveira Wooden Cooking Utensils
Recipe
Healthy Chicken Parmesan
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless; can use breasts too
- ½ lb fresh mozzarella thinly sliced
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
- ½ cup flour in a bowl or pie plate
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Tomato sauce
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes canned
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic chopped or thinly sliced
- 2 tsp fresh basil chopped
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper optionalPreheat oven to 475
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475
- Make the sauce - in a large saucepan, add ¼ cup of olive oil. When heated add the 4 cloves of garlic and cook until fragrant - about 30 secs to 1 min. Add the crushed tomatoes, sauce/diced (if using), basil, onion powder, salt, pepper and red pepper (if using). Cook on medium heat until bubbling, then simmer for 15-20 mins
- While the sauce cooks, add the rest of the olive oil to a large pan. Heat
- Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. One by one add each piece of chicken to the bowl of flour - flour both sides completely, and shake off the excess. Add to the pan of olive oil once hot
- Cook 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through
- While the chicken cooks, add a ladle of the sauce into the bottom of a baking dish to prevent sticking. Once the chicken is ready, transfer to the dish and evenly top with the sauce, then the mozzarella cheese, then the parmesan cheese
- Bake the dish for about 10-15 mins or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
Notes
Nutrition
About The Skinny Guinea
Hey...how you doin'? I'm Tommy, The Skinny Guinea…just a busy dad who loves to cook. Offering easy to cook dinners and family friendly recipes, while always staying true to my Italian roots!
Practically everyone loves chicken parm, simple and tasty