My family LOVES chicken parmesan and I do too but the traditional recipe with flour, egg and bread crumbs sautéed in lots of oil is a special occasion dish. I wondered if I could lighten it up so we could enjoy it more often. I told Bill I was making a “healthy” chicken parmesan and he made a face. He wasn’t sure that would taste so great.
I thought I would use the trick for whenever I add sautéed chicken to a pasta dish, where I lightly dredge it in flour before cooking. The light coating of flour protects the chicken breast, allowing it to stay moist, but doesn’t add a lot of calories. I also made sure to season both the chicken and the flour very well, to add flavor there too. I made this with provolone but you could use just grated parmesan or buffalo mozzarella to lighten it up even more. I must say it was a hit. Bill said he couldn’t believe it tasted so good and Brian said, “Mom, how can this be healthy, it tastes too good!” Score!~
- 4 Boneless Chicken Breast
- 1 Cup Flour for dredging
- 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
- Salt & Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 cups Tomato Sauce
- ¼ Cup Grated Parmesan
- 8 Slices Provolone or Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Slice the chicken breast in half the long way so that you have too thin pieces of chicken for each breast.
- Place the chicken in between wax paper on a cutting board and pound until super thin.
- In a lasagna pan, spray and pour the tomato sauce into the bottom of the pan. You want a good layer of sauce, so add more depending on the size of your pan.
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt & pepper.
- Add the flour & garlic powder to a bowl and season with salt & pepper.
- Heat a saute pan with the olive oil and, 1 at a time, dredge the chicken into the flour mixture. Shake well after you dredge it, you just want a light coating of flour on it.
- Make sure the pan is good and hot before you add the chicken. Brown for 5 minutes and turn over and cook another 4 minutes. Place the chicken on top of the tomato sauce, sprinkle with the parmesan and place of slice of cheese over each piece of chicken.
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and starts to get a little color.
- Serve with pasta on the side or a salad.
Mmmmmmmmmmm……..
I need your cookbook!