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!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 465kcal

Author Deborah Harroun

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.

Video

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