Baked Chicken Parmesan
We can all agree that chicken parm is amazing, right? Crispy, crunchy, cheesy chicken smothered in rich marinara then covered in gooey mozzarella cheese and, of course, more Parmesan; It's one of those perfect dishes. Comfort food at it's very finest!
But making it at home the traditional method which is to fry cutlets of breaded chicken in oil is a) messy and b) not exactly healthy. Then again, when were we ever concerned about "health" when we were going to be layering these puppies in cheese??
But you catch my drift. Frying = messy and less healthy. Baking = easy, less messy and more healthy! Therefore, we can just top them with more cheese. The key word is balance!
So when I decide I'm in the mood for chicken Parmesan (which is more times that I'd like to admit) I take a few shortcuts and lighten things up, but certainly don't hold back on flavor. I actually prefer the baking method because I think it makes the chicken even crispier. And by baking them, and not saturating them in oil, you can really taste the parm and each layer of flavor in all its glory.
Instead of baking them in sauce, I also prefer to top mine with sauce and cheese before a quick broil in the oven. This results in super crispy, super juicy chicken with a zesty, cheesy topping.
To really go the extra mile with making this comfort food classic a bit lighter, serve it up with spaghetti squash! Sure, it doesn't replace spaghetti but roasting it simply with olive oil, salt and pepper creates a perfect side dish and vehicle for eating your crispy, saucy chicken with. My super simple method for roasting spaghetti squash is also down yonder.
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
1/2 cup marinara sauce (my favorite is Rao’s - there is no substitute!)
1/2 cup shredded and/or fresh mozzarella cheese (I used a bit of both!)
Directions
Grab three shallow bowls or dishes. In the first, whisk eggs with a touch of water. In the second, combine flour with salt and pepper. In the third, combine panko with parm. You've now created your dredging station!
Butterfly each chicken breast so that you get four evenly thick slices of chicken breast. I do this by carefully slicing the chicken horizontally. Coat each chicken breast first in flour, shake off excess. Dunk in egg mixture, shake off excess. Then roll in panko mixture thoroughly to coat. Set aside on a greased baking sheet. Repeat dredging process with each chicken breast piece.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping chicken breasts halfway through. Remove chicken from oven and set oven to broil. Top chicken with about two tablespoons of marinara each and a healthy pile of shredded and/or fresh mozzarella cheese. Broil for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown. Garnish with parsley and serve with spaghetti squash - or your favorite pasta!
Basic Roasted Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Slice spaghetti squash (very carefully!) horizontally to create two halves. Scoop out seeds and insides until are clean.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and lay flat on a baking sheet with skin side facing up. Roast for 40-60 minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes before flipping over and shredding gently with a fork to make "spaghetti." Serve with chicken parm or eat solo!
