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Lightened-Up Chicken Parmesan (One Pan!)

April 17, 2019 by Michelle | 2 Comments

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chicken parmesan on zucchini noodles with a text overlay that says lightened-up chicken parmesan nowcookthis.com

You get all the flavor without all the extra calories in this quick and easy Lightened-Up Chicken Parmesan! It’s made in one pan and is ready in about 30 minutes – a perfect weeknight dinner that is sure to become a favorite!

chicken parmesan on a white plate on a brown and white napkin with a fork and knife on the side this recipe

Chicken Parmesan (Parmigiana) is an Italian-American classic! It’s no wonder why it’s a favorite of so many of us – breaded and fried chicken covered in tomato sauce and topped with melted Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. It’s sooo good!

Unfortunately, it isn’t exactly waistline-friendly because – you know – the breaded and fried part. Okay, and the cheese part too (but I can forgive the cheese because I love it so much). So I decided to lighten things up a bit and make the dish easier and quicker.

My solution? I said goodbye to the breadcrumbs and the very generous amount of oil that would normally be used to fry the chicken. Yep, the breading is gone! I mean I couldn’t get rid of the cheese, so something had to go!

I know. I was skeptical at first too. Would it, could it be good without the breading? The answer is a resounding YES! I didn’t miss the breadcrumbs one bit. It had all the fabulous flavor I was hoping for and less calories!

AND this Chicken Parm recipe is super quick and easy – it’s done in about 30 minutes – and it’s made all in one pan, so less dishes!?

skillet full of chicken parmesan

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED:

  • Chicken breast cutlets or boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Flour
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil
  • Butter
  • Spaghetti sauce (homemade or jarred)
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Fresh parsley (optional)

HERE’S A QUICK LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE LIGHTENED-UP CHICKEN PARMESAN:

three images showing steps to make lightened-up chicken parmesan

three images showing steps to make lightened-up chicken parmesan

Lightly dredging the chicken breasts in flour and cooking them in a small amount of olive oil and butter gives them a lightly crisp, golden brown crust.

The easiest cut of chicken to use for this recipe is a chicken breast cutlet. You want each one to weigh about 6 ounces. If you can’t find cutlets, simply get two chicken breasts, each weighing about 12 ounces, and cut them in half horizontally to make two cutlets out of each breast – OR – if you can find small chicken breasts that are about 6 ounces each, just pound them between two sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper until they are an even ½-inch thick.

Use your favorite spaghetti sauce – homemade or jarred. Want a recipe for homemade sauce that won’t keep you in the kitchen for hours? Check out my recipe for Quick & Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce. It’s full of flavor and only takes about 30 minutes. One batch is a perfect amount for this recipe.

If you like your cheese more browned and bubbly, you can put the pan under the broiler for a minute or two after the chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted. Make sure you are using an oven-safe pan with a handle than can withstand the heat of the broiler.

You can serve this Chicken Parmesan on its own or over spaghetti. I like to keep things light and get some veggies by serving it over zoodles or spaghetti squash!

chicken parmesan on a bed of zucchini noodles

This recipe makes a perfect weeknight meal for the family, but it’s also good enough for dinner guests. Everyone is sure to love it – whether they’re counting calories or not!

I hope you try this recipe for Lightened-Up Chicken Parmesan and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!

michelle signature

Lightened-Up Chicken Parmesan

You get all the flavor without all the extra calories in this quick and easy Lightened-Up Chicken Parmesan! It’s made in one pan and is ready in about 30 minutes – a perfect weeknight dinner that is sure to become a favorite!
Print Recipe Rate/Comment Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 501
Author: Michelle / Now Cook This!

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breast cutlets (each about 6 ounces) *See Recipe Notes
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 cups spaghetti sauce (homemade or one 24 to 28-ounce jar)
  • ½ cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • fresh chopped parsley, optional

Instructions

  • Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow dish. Lightly coat each piece of chicken with the flour, shaking off any excess.
  • Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Note: The chicken does not have to be cooked through at this point. It will finish cooking in the sauce.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the sauce to the pan. Move the chicken around so that the sauce gets under it and coats each piece.  
  • Top each piece of chicken with ¼ of the Parmesan cheese (2 tablespoons per piece of chicken) and then ¼ of the mozzarella cheese (¼ cup per piece of chicken).
  • Put a lid on the pan and simmer (reduce the heat to low if needed) until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. 
  • Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, if desired, and serve.

Notes

  • If you can’t find chicken cutlets, take two large boneless skinless chicken breasts (each weighing about 12 ounces) and cut them in half horizontally to make 2 cutlets out of each breast – OR – if you can find small breasts that are about 6 ounces each, just lightly pound them between two sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper to an even ½-inch thickness.
  • If you like your cheese browned and bubbly, you can put the pan under the broiler for a minute or two after the chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted. Make sure you are using an oven-safe pan with a handle that can withstand the heat of the broiler.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it!Mention @nowcookthis or tag #nowcookthisrecipes!
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Comments

  1. YtheWait

    September 22, 2020 at 6:43 am

    Thank you so much for the recipe, I cook it often and it is always delicious.

    Reply
    • Michelle

      September 22, 2020 at 3:11 pm

      Thank you!!

      Reply

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Welcome to my kitchen where something good is always cooking! I want us all to cook and eat at home more, so I’m here to share my favorite simple and delicious recipes that are perfect for the everyday home cook. I hope you will be inspired to get in the kitchen and try these recipes, and I hope they become some of your favorites too! Read more…

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