Healthy Parmesan Chicken Recipe Baked

Last Updated on April 9, 2022 by Ellen Christian

You are going to love this healthy Parmesan chicken recipe! A traditional crispy Parmesan chicken recipe is deep-fried and breaded.

And, while that may be a delicious treat or splurge, it’s not very healthy. With a few simple tweaks, you can turn that recipe into something that is lower in fat and in calories. And, because it has no breading it is a gluten-free dish everyone can enjoy.

Healthy Parmesan Chicken Recipe

So, this healthy Parmesan chicken recipe is a wonderful choice for those with allergy concerns. It has no grains which means it is gluten-free. And, you can substitute a soy-based cheese if you want to in order to make this dairy-free.

If you are concerned about sugar, look for a marinara sauce that is sugar-free like this one that is Keto friendly.

What goes good with chicken parmesan?

If you want to keep it grain-free, you could serve a few vegetable side dishes with this baked parmesan chicken recipe. Or, you could try serving it with pasta or rice so that you can spoon some of the marinara sauce over it.

You may want to try my Blue Lake Green Beans recipe or my roasted asparagus.

Why is chicken parmesan made with mozzarella?

Well, technically the dish is Chicken Parmigiano, not chicken parmesan. Parmigiano refers to a region in Italy and not to parmesan cheese.

Parmesan cheese is made in the same region in Italy. But, that’s all it is. So, the style of chicken or veal refers to the region, not to the type of cheese. This recipe uses both mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Is chicken parmigiana the same as chicken parmesan?

Yes, they are the same recipe. It typically refers to a breaded chicken cutlet. But, in this healthy parmesan chicken recipe, we leave the breading out. And, we bake it instead of deep-frying.

Marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce?

So, the recipe calls for Marinara sauce which is slightly different than spaghetti sauce. A marinara sauce is a simple tomato sauce with very few additions of spices or vegetables.

It’s quite similar to a pizza sauce or a very plain spaghetti sauce. You can use either of these in this healthy chicken parmesan recipe. They are fairly interchangeable provided you don’t buy the extra chunky version.

Best cheese for a healthy parmesan chicken recipe

The recipe calls for a combination of mozzarella and parmesan which is fairly traditional for a chicken parmesan recipe. But, if you are craving chicken parmesan and you’re out of those, you can substitute Swiss, provolone or even Colby if you want to.

The taste will be slightly different, but it’s certainly possible. If you want the lowest sodium choice, look for a Lorraine style Swiss cheese. 

Best chicken for chicken parmesan

This recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts which I feel is the best option. You can certainly get bone-in if you prefer, but it’s a lot more messy to eat.

Just be sure that you remove the skin. It tastes much better in this recipe when you use skinless chicken.

 

How long will leftovers last?

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for two to three days. It’s best to eat leftover chicken promptly. Be sure that you cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator.

If you want to freeze chicken parmesan, you could store it cooked for about a week and reheat it in the microwave. Just wrap it in plastic wrap and then slide each individual portion into a freezer bag for storage.

Then, you can heat up just one serving at a time.

Healthy parmesan chicken recipe substitutions

So, if you are not a fan of chicken, you can use the same basic process for this healthy parmesan chicken recipe for eggplant parmesan or veal parmesan.

Or, you could certainly adjust it a bit more and use it with pork. We don’t eat veal. But, we do love pork chops cooked with the same process.

Just make sure that you adjust your cooking time to account for the change in the meat you use. If you do decide to use pork, you can use boneless pork chops or bone-in pork chops.

Both work well and taste equally delicious. Or, these parmesan potatoes look pretty amazing.

You may want to learn how to make scallopine. Learn more about cooking in a Romertopf Clay Pot.