Healthy Baked Chicken Parmesan combines healthily breaded chicken breasts and indulgent marinara and mozzarella for a top notch flavor combo. Prepare in less than an hour for the ultimate crowd pleasing meal!
The chicken parmesan of your (and my) dreams
Pasta is delicious, and breaded chicken is delicious. Combine the two together with a generous portion of marinara and a little more mozzarella than what's socially acceptable, and you have one mouth watering meal on your hands.
That describes this healthy breaded chicken parmesan to a T! The recipe consists of thin chicken breasts breaded with crushed almond flour crackers (a better alternative to white flour crackers), and baked to crispy goodness. Eat over a plate of pasta with your favorite side salad, and ta-da!
It's basically a giant chicken tender eaten over pasta with marinara and lots of cheesiness. That, my friend, sounds like a happy dinner to me!
Chicken parmesan is a great meal for serving to company or at family and friend-filled events. It's a savory crowd pleaser sure to leave everyone's bellies feeling full, satisfied, and like you're the best host ever!
Ingredients used in baked parmesan
This recipe uses ingredients that we all know and love like chicken, breadcrumbs, marinara, and mozzarella. Each bite of this deliciously breaded chicken parmesan is filled with incredible flavor thanks to Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese!
- Chicken breasts (Cut the chicken breasts in half longways, and pound them thinly to half an inch of thickness)
- Eggs
- Crushed crackers or breadcrumbs (I used almond flour crackers)
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
- Italian seasoning
- Marinara sauce
- Mozzarella log (Slice into ½ inch thick slices)
Tools used to create this recipe
From start to finish, baked chicken parmesan will only require four different tools. Don't forget to grab your measuring cups!
- Baking sheet
- Aluminum foil
- Meat pounder
- Two mixing bowls
- Measuring cups: ½ tsp, ½ cup, and 1 cup
How to make healthy baked chicken parmesan
If you've ever breaded anything, this recipe will be cake to you. Even if you haven't, it's still a simple recipe that requires no more than 10 minutes of prep time and 25 minutes of baking time! Feel free to add extra mozzarella if that's your thing.
Begin by preheating the oven to 350F and lining a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Your chicken should be pounded to ½ inch in thickness.
In two separate bowls, whisk eggs and pour cracker crumbs. To bowl with cracker crumbs, add parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Coat the chicken in egg on both sides, then dip it into cracker crumbs, coating both sides very well.
Lay on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Bake for 15 minutes, then take out of the oven. Top each piece with marinara and a slice of mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 5 more minutes and then broil for 3-4 minutes, keeping an eye on the cheese so it doesn't burn.
Remove from the oven, serve over pasta, and enjoy!
Chicken parmesan tips
Here are some chicken parmesan recipe tips. Still have questions? Leave them in the comments below!
Chicken parmesan vs chicken parmigiana
Spoiler alert, there's no difference! Both dishes are the same and hail from Italy. Enjoy it the same way no matter what you choose to call it.
Vegetarian chicken parmesan options
If you've been salivating at this recipe but wondering if you can use a veggie alternative, the answer is yes! Feel free to use eggplant in this recipe, or substitute the chicken with a plant-based "meat."
Sides dishes for pairing
Some of my favorite chicken and pasta sides include Zucchini Salad with Walnut Pesto, Avocado Corn Salad, and Pear Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette.
Cooked temperature
When checking the temperature of your chicken, be sure that it reaches 165F internally before consuming.
Storing baked parmesan
Store breaded chicken and all toppings and ingredients in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Reheat by placing in the microwave in 15 second intervals, or by baking until warmed. I recommend storing the chicken separate from the other ingredients.
Some more must-try hearty recipes
Love a good chicken-based dinner? Try some of these! Chicken is a great source of protein, and each of these meals are filled with rich flavor and lots of nutrients!
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato Casserole
- Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken
Healthy Baked Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Make sure your chicken is pounded thin to ½ inch thick.
- In one bowl, whisk eggs and in another bowl, pour cracker crumbs into it. To the bowl with crackers crumbs, add grated parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mix it up.
- Coat chicken in egg on both sides, then dip into cracker crumbs, coating both sides very well.
- Lay on baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then take out of oven, top each piece with about about ⅓ cup marinara, then a slice of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 5 more minutes, then broil for 3-4 minutes, keeping an eye on it so cheese doesn't burn.
- Remove from oven and serve over pasta!
- Enjoy!
Skylar Wellbaum says
So simple and so good!! Will definitely make again!
Erin says
Hi Skylar, so happy you loved it!! 🙂
Meghan Odonovan says
So easy and so good
Erin says
Hi Meghan, so happy you loved it!
Rachel says
Really good and easy, it impressed my Italian husband... it just definitely took more than 15 minutes for the chicken to cook in the oven. Maybe I didn't make it thin enough!
Erin says
Hi Rachel, so happy you both enjoyed it!!
Katie says
So simple to make and so good! This will definitely be a staple in my dinner rotation going forward!
Erin says
Hi Katie, so happy you loved it so much!! 🙂
Amanda m says
Delish!
Erin says
Hi Amanda, so glad you loved it!
melissa says
Made for a friend's birthday dinner because chicken parm is her favorite meal, she loved it! Bonus that it's incredibly easy to make
Erin says
Hi Melissa, so glad you enjoyed it!!
Rachel says
Fantastic and so easy to make! The broil is what really adds the restaurant quality
Erin says
Hi Rachel, so happy you loved it!!
Julia says
My husband is diabetic person it was perfect for his diet 🥰 thanks
Erin says
Hi Julia, so glad you both loved it!!
Steph says
Any substitute for egg as a binder?
Erin says
Hi Steph, you can use a flax egg!
Katie Hooper says
Granted I have never made another Chicken Parm recipe before....this one is amazing! And easy! Ever since I first made this almost a year and a 1/2 ago, I continue to make it 🙂
Erin says
Hi Katie, so glad you loved it so much!!
Meg says
Thank for this recipe! It’s so easy, quick and incredible. We really loved it.
Erin says
Hi Meg, so happy you loved it! 🙂
Kamie says
10/10 for this meal. It was so good! It’s a new family favorite.
Erin says
Hi Kamie, so happy you enjoyed it!!
Danielle says
This recipe is the best!! I’ve always been a huge fan of chicken parm but not the way it makes me feel after. Erin’s recipe is light but filling and absolutely delicious! Taste is not compromised. Husband approved too! Thank you!!
Erin says
Hi Danielle, so happy you both loved it!!
beth says
this looks so good! could I sub almond flour for the almond flour crackers or would it not work well? I don’t have any on hand!
Erin says
Hi Beth, thanks and hmm they should. I haven't it with them, so let me know!!
Megan says
So easy and so yummy!!
Erin says
Hi Megan, so glad you loved it!
Meg says
my favorite healthy way to have chicken parm! I love it! Thanks Erin, you're the best !
Erin says
Hi Meg, so glad you loved it!!
ERIN N says
Love this lightened up version of Chicken Parm! I can’t really eat fried foods so it’s super nice that this a baked chicken 🙂
Erin says
Hi Erin, so glad you enjoyed it!