Baked Chicken Parmesan

A healthier alternative to the well known fried chicken parmesan, this Baked Chicken Parmesan is crispy and juicy and will leave you just as satisfied!

If you love this recipe, you’ll also want to check out this Eggplant Parmesan, this Chicken Pepperoni, or this Zucchini Parmesan.

This recipe is an oldie, but a goodie!

Originally posted way back in 2007, it’s one that makes it onto our table pretty regularly. I love that it is a healthier recipe, but it doesn’t taste like health food.

And it doesn’t hurt that it’s done in just over 30 minutes. That’s a winning chicken dinner!

Ingredients

• Chicken: You will want to use 2 larger chicken breasts. I like to aim for about 12 ounces each, so after cutting each in half, the serving will be about 6 ounces of chicken.
• Buttermilk: This is what you will use as the “glue” to make the breadcrumb mixture stick. I use a low-fat buttermilk.
• Breadcrumbs: The original recipe I posted here used homemade breadcrumbs from wheat bread, but I have switched to panko breadcrumbs because I like how crispy they make the chicken. Feel free to swap it out, if desired.
• Parmesan Cheese: I like to use freshly grated parmesan cheese.
• Parsley: Fresh parsley is best in this recipe. It brings a bit of freshness to the chicken.
• Spices: For the spices, you will need paprika, garlic powder, and dried thyme. You will also need salt and pepper.
• Marinara: You can keep things super easy and use a jarred marinara sauce, or you can make homemade marinara sauce. Just make sure it is a good quality sauce that tastes great.
• Mozzarella Cheese: Again, freshly grated is best. It will melt the best and most consistently. I used a brick of mozzarella and grated it, but you could also use fresh mozzarella slices.

How to Make Baked Chicken Parmesan

STEP 1: Take one of the chicken breasts and cut it in half horizontally, making two thinner pieces of chicken. Repeat this with the second chicken breast.

STEP 2: Place a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap over the chicken and use a meat mallet to pound it into an even layer. You will most likely only need to pound the thicker half. You want it all an even thickness so that it will cook evenly. Repeat with all of the chicken.

STEP 3: Pour the buttermilk into a shallow dish. I like to use a pie plate.

STEP 4: In another shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, and thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste.

STEP 5: Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dip the chicken in the buttermilk. Let any excess drip off.

STEP 6: Transfer the chicken to the breadcrumb mixture and coat it fully. I will sometimes use my hands to press the mixture into the chicken to ensure that it sticks.

STEP 7: Transfer the coated chicken to a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet. Once all of the chicken is coated, spray the tops with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes.

STEP 8: Spread the marinara over the chicken, then top with the mozzarella. Return to the oven until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through.

Tips and Tricks

You don’t necessarily have to bake the chicken on a cooling rack, but it is what keeps the chicken from getting soggy on the bottom.

I like to spray the tops of the chicken with cooking spray before baking. This just helps it to crisp up a little better. I use avocado oil.

We like to serve this over roasted spaghetti squash, but you could also serve it with pasta or even just by itself.

More Healthy Recipes

Grilled Pork Chops with Cilantro Lime Sauce
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Slow Cooker Turkey Meatloaf

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Baked Chicken Parmesan

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Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

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A healthier alternative to the well known fried chicken parmesan, this Baked Chicken Parmesan is crispy and juicy and will leave you just as satisfied!

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (10-12 oz each)
• ▢ 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• ▢ 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• ▢ 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ▢ 2 tablespoons freshly minced parsley
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 1 cup prepared marinara sauce (homemade or store bought)
• ▢ 3 oz Mozzarella cheese shredded

Instructions

• Preheat the oven 400ºF. Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. (I like to use a piece of parchment paper, too, for easy cleanup.)
• Take the chicken breasts and cut them in half lengthwise, forming 4 thinner pieces of chicken. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of one piece and use a meat mallet to pound the chicken to a uniform thickness. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.
  2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Pour the buttermilk into a shallow dish. (I like to use a pie plate.)
  1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• In another shallow dish, combine the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons freshly minced parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dip each piece of chicken into the buttermilk, letting any excess buttermilk drip off. Then dip in the breadcrumb mixture, making sure to coat each side of the chicken well. Transfer to the cooling rack.
• Repeat until you have all of the chicken coated. Spray the tops of the chicken with nonstick cooking spray.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is mostly cooked through, about 20 minutes. It’s ok if it’s not quite up to temperature, because you will be returning it to the oven for a few more minutes.
• Remove the baking sheet, and top each piece of chicken with about 1/4 cup of the marinara sauce. Divide the cheese evenly between the chicken.
  1 cup prepared marinara sauce, 3 oz Mozzarella cheese
• Return to the oven and cook until the chicken is cooked completely through and the cheese is melted, about 5 more minutes.

Recipe Notes:

We like to serve this over roasted spaghetti squash, but you could also serve it over pasta or even just eat it by itself!

I like to use avocado oil spray for spraying on top of the chicken.

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide. Nutrition is over estimated, as you will not use all of the buttermilk or the breading mixture. The actual nutrition counts will depend on how much actually gets used.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 465kcal (23%), Carbohydrates: 24g (8%), Protein: 57g (114%), Fat: 13g (20%), Saturated Fat: 4g (25%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 139mg (46%), Sodium: 494mg (21%), Potassium: 657mg (19%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 4g (4%)

Keywords: baked chicken parmesan, chicken parmesan, healthy recipe