This Baked Chicken Parmesan is a lighter twist on an Italian Classic! Flavorful crispy breaded chicken breasts are baked then topped with a light tomato sauce and cheese and served over spaghetti squash!!!
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The Perks and Highlights of Baked Chicken Parmesan
Cuisine Inspiration: Italian-American Fusion
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: High-Protein Comfort
Key Flavor: Cheesy, Herby, and Crisp
Skill Level: Easy
Sweet Highlights:
Perk 1: Quick Prep
Spend less time prepping, more time enjoying. This dish comes together super fast.
Perk 2: Customizable Crunch
Like it extra crispy? Add more breadcrumbs. Prefer it cheesier? Go wild with the mozzarella. Make it your own!
Perk 3: One-Dish Wonder
This dish goes from oven to table in the same pan. Less cleaning, more eating.
Perk 4: Kid-Approved
Watch the kiddos dive in with no complaints – it’s the family-friendly meal that brings all the smiles to the dinner table.
Ingredients
- Chopped Onion & Minced Garlic: The dynamic duo that starts off any great dish with a bang.
- Butter/Margarine: This little gem is here to sauté your aromatics.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: This lays down the foundation of our sauce.
- Fresh Basil: This isn’t just a garnish. It’s the game-changer herb that screams ‘fresh’.
- Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts: Lean and mean and ready to get cheesed.
- Seasoned Fine & Panko Bread Crumbs: They bring the crunch; you bring the munch.
- Grated Parmesan & Mozzarella Cheeses: This cheese squad turns the dish from “meh” to “more, please!”
- Dried Oregano & Beaten Egg: Oregano’s the herby whisperer, and the egg’s the glue holding the breaded dreams together.
- Milk & Non-stick Olive Oil Spray: For that golden seal on your breadcrumbs and a guilt-free non-stick experience.
- Baked Spaghetti Squash: The ultimate sidekick, twirling on your fork like the best pasta impersonator out there.
How to Make Baked Chicken Parmesan
- For sauce, in a medium saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot butter until onion is tender. Carefully stir in the undrained tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or to desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Stir in basil. Keep warm.
- Meanwhile, with a meat mallet, pound each chicken breast half between two pieces of plastic wrap to 1/4-inch thickness.
- In a shallow dish stir together bread crumbs, the 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, and oregano. In another bowl stir together the egg and milk. Dip chicken breast halves in egg mixture, then in crumb mixture to coat. Spray both sides of each chicken half with olive oil spray and bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes (adjust according to the thickness of the chicken) until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a serving platter.
- Spray both sides of each chicken half with olive oil spray and bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes (adjust according to the thickness of the chicken) until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a serving platter.
- To bake the spaghetti squash, cut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Place in a baking dish with the cut sides down. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until squash is tender.
- Place chicken on bed of spaghetti squash. Spoon sauce over chicken. Top with shredded mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Let stand about 2 minutes or until cheese melts.
How to Lighten Tomato Sauce for Healthy Chicken Parmesan
For a heartier Chicken Parmesan like the original Italian classic, I would more than likely use this Spaghetti sauce which is rich and filled with amazing flavor!
Here I have selected to lighten it up and make it more of a garnish. It still gives ample flavor but isn’t as hearty. To do this, I use diced tomatoes along with a few ingredients like butter, garlic and onion. Served over the chicken, it is seriously so so good!!
How to Serve
- Garlic Bread: No Italian-inspired meal is complete without it. Crunchy, garlicky, and buttery, it’s the perfect scoop for any leftover sauce. Try the No Knead Garlic Bread recipe for a change of pace.
- Caesar Salad: Keep it classic with a fresh Caesar salad. It’s crisp, creamy, and with a punch of Parmesan, it mirrors the flavors of your main dish. The Homemade Caesar Salad on the blog is just the ticket.
- Roasted Veggies: Bring some color to your plate with a medley of roasted vegetables. They add a healthy, caramelized note that’s absolutely addictive. The Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts are a fan favorite.
- Pasta: If you’re feeling traditional, spaghetti or fettuccine lightly tossed in olive oil and garlic is a no-brainer. But why not kick it up a notch with Cacio e Pepe from the site? It’s creamy, dreamy, and oh-so-satisfying.
How to Store
To store leftover Baked Chicken Parmesan, first let it cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and pop it in the fridge. It’ll keep nicely for up to 3 days, ready to be reheated for your next delicious meal!
Other Lighter Recipes to Try
- Lemon Panko Crusted Fish
- Cajun Shrimp Zoodles
- Blood Orange Glazed Salmon
- Skinny Chicken Marsala
- Light Shrimp Curry
*Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave comments below!*
Baked Chicken Parmesan
This Baked Chicken Parmesan has flavorful crispy breaded chicken breasts that are baked then topped with a light tomato sauce and cheese and served over spaghetti squash!
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
- 14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can, undrained
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Dash black pepper
- 1/4 cup snipped fresh basil
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (1 to 1-1/4 pounds)
- 1/3 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano crushed
- 1 beaten egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Non-stick olive oil spray
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 ounce
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- Baked spaghetti squash
Instructions
- For sauce, in a medium saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot butter until onion is tender. Carefully stir in the undrained tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or to desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Stir in basil. Keep warm.
- Meanwhile, with a meat mallet, pound each chicken breast half between two pieces of plastic wrap to 1/4-inch thickness.
- In a shallow dish stir together bread crumbs, the 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, and oregano. In another bowl stir together the egg and milk. Dip chicken breast halves in egg mixture, then in crumb mixture to coat. Spray both sides of each chicken half with olive oil spray and bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes (adjust according to the thickness of the chicken) until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a serving platter.
- Spray both sides of each chicken half with olive oil spray and bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes (adjust according to the thickness of the chicken) until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a serving platter.
- To bake the spaghetti squash, cut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Place in a baking dish with the cut sides down. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until squash is tender.
- Place chicken on bed of spaghetti squash. Spoon sauce over chicken. Top with shredded mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Let stand about 2 minutes or until cheese melts.
Notes
If the chicken breasts are thicker than 1/4-inch thick, then you might have to bake a little longer. Bake until the chicken is cooked through.
Don’t have a mallet? Use a rolling pin or bottle of wine to pound the chicken!
Here I use a mix of regular bread crumbs and panko however if you want even more crunch, you can use all panko! Just make sure you add more Italian seasoning or selected a seasoned panko blend.
How to Store
To store leftover Baked Chicken Parmesan, first let it cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and pop it in the fridge. It’ll keep nicely for up to 3 days, ready to be reheated for your next delicious meal!
Nutrition
Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 540mg | Potassium: 678mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 480IU | Vitamin C: 12.7mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 2.4mg
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I’ve been doing this for years too! Only I started because we raise our own beef and so I have a freezer full of frozen hamburger. Because I always forget to take it out in time to thaw, and I hate microwaving hamburger, I started cooking it in water (my sister’s recommendation). Now it’s the ONLY way I make it since it also takes away the grease. I just boil it until it’s mostly done, drain the water, and finish browning it in the pot. I add the seasonings during the last step. Works
Beautiful and quick dish to make on week days .
I LOVE spaghetti squash and chicken parmesan so I have to try this! Pinned for later.
We made something similar the beginning of the year and just today I thought, man I need to make this again!
I love love love spaghetti squash. This recipe looks SO GOOD!
You know, I don’t miss pasta one bit when I eat spaghetti squash instead? This looks so comforting and deliciously light!
I’ve been on a carb overload lately and I love this lightened up meal.
I love chicken parmesan and baking it is so much better on your waistline!! 🙂
Oh yum! this looks perfect. I’m a huge fan of fattening Italian foods too – I love how this uses squash!
Haha, I totally love all the Italian carby goodness! But this is such a great healthier version for summer! Pinned 🙂