Quick and easy baked chicken parmesan is a classic Italian favorite made healthier in this flavorful recipe. Lightly breaded and baked with an easy marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese in less than 30 minutes! Serve it up with pasta, crusty garlic bread and a classic Italian salad for a family favorite dinner in a hurry!

baked chicken parmesan served over pasta and garnished with fresh parsley

My whole family really loves chicken parmesan! And I really like making my own baked chicken parmesan that’s lightened up! It still has the same great flavor as what you might order at an Italian restaurant, but way less grease. 😉 This healthy chicken parmesan is a good, solid, wholesome dinner with plenty of protein and also still cheesy and saucy and golden brown crispy enough to still be irresistible.

How Do You Make Baked Chicken Parmesan?

This chicken parmesan recipe is super easy and it’s ready in a flash! You only need 6 ingredients, including the pasta. Start with boneless skinless chicken breasts. You’ll want to use thinner chicken breasts, as the really thick ones will take a long time to cook, and the coating to meat ratio will be off. If you can’t find the thin cut chicken breast at the store, simply slice each breast in half vertically. The chicken breasts are dipped in egg, then coated in a mixture of seasoned breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.

breading chicken breast for baked chicken parmesan

Bake the breaded chicken until golden brown. The finishing touch is a topping of marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. Feel free to use a dairy-free mozzarella, as needed. Put the chicken back in the oven long enough to melt the cheese and you’ll be ready to eat.

Tips For Baked Chicken Parmesan

  • It’s best to use chicken breasts that are all approximately the same size, so that they’ll bake at the same rate.
  • You can add as much or as little sauce as you like to the chicken. I typically spoon a little over the top, then serve it in more sauce as shown in the photos. The sauce does make the coating on the chicken a little softer so if you like ultra crispy chicken, go light on the sauce. You can use this homemade marinara or my two favorite store-bought brands are Organico Bello or Rao’s Marinara. Both have very clean ingredients and great flavor.
  • I typically use parmesan cheese on top of the chicken, but you could also use a fresh mozzarella cheese or fontina cheese.
  • You can garnish your chicken parmesan with chopped parsley or fresh basil, whatever you have on hand.

baking chicken parmesan on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper

What To Serve With Chicken Parmesan

I typically serve my baked chicken parmesan over spaghetti, which is the classic preparation. That being said, you can really use any type of pasta you like. I’ve seen chicken parmesan served with penne pasta, orzo pasta or even a side of tortellini! To keep this meal low carb, you could serve the baked chicken over zucchini noodles instead of traditional pasta. I also like to serve a green vegetable on the side, such as roasted asparagus, steamed broccoli or a fresh green salad. If you’re looking for a full Italian meal, whip up a batch of garlic bread to go along with everything else.

Once you try this baked chicken parmesan, you won’t want to go back to the deep fried version ever again!

baked chicken parmesan on a white plate and served over pasta

More Great Italian Recipes

Cheesy Italian Meatloaf

Best Ever Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe

Easy Low Carb Italian Chicken Wraps

If you try this delicious chicken parmesan recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.

a fork getting a bite of baked chicken parmesan served over spaghetti

baked chicken parmesan served over pasta and garnished with fresh parsley
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Baked Chicken Parmesan

Quick and easy baked chicken parmesan is a classic Italian favorite made healthier in this flavorful recipe. Lightly breaded and baked with an easy marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese in less than 30 minutes! Serve it up with pasta, crusty garlic bread and a classic Italian salad for a family favorite dinner in a hurry!
Author: Kim

Ingredients

  • 1 to 1 1/2 pound(s) chicken breast, halved or thinly sliced*
  • 2 egg whites or 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs**
  • 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese + about 6 more tablespoons for chicken topping
  • 3/4 cup low-sugar marinara sauce*** + more for serving over pasta, if desired
  • 1 package of your favorite spaghetti, prepared according to package instructions

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. and prepare large baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Break 2 egg whites into shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, mix bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
  • Coat each side of chicken breast in egg whites and then coat with bread crumb mixture. Place each chicken breast in baking dish.
  • Bake at 450 degrees F. for about 18 mins. Top with about 2 tablespoons marinara and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese; bake until bubbly, about 5 minutes.
  • Serve chicken over your favorite pasta and enjoy!

Notes

*My chicken breast was 1.4 lbs and 3 chicken breasts. I butterflied them (sliced them in half, vertically, to make 6 thin pieces).
**I used seasoned gluten-free crouton crumbs. If you're not using preseasoned bread crumbs, I would suggest adding about 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning to the mixture.
***Use your favorite marinara sauce or my delicious homemade version.
Photos by Sasha at Eat Love Eats.
Calories: 256kcal, Carbohydrates: 9.6g, Protein: 25.3g, Fat: 12.3g, Saturated Fat: 3.8g, Cholesterol: 71mg, Sodium: 343.8mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2.9g

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