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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes » Chicken

    Light Chicken Parmesan

    Published by Melissa on February 19, 2021 | Updated June 10, 2022 | 12 Comments

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    Light Chicken Parmesan with lean chicken breasts, crispy panko breadcrumbs, and a savory tomato sauce is a healthy and easy dinner for busy nights. 

    sliced of lighter chicken parmesan with panko breadcrumbs and broccoli

    Chicken Parmesan is always a crowd-pleaser in my house. From kids to adults, everyone loves crispy breaded chicken with tomato sauce and melty cheese. This version is lighter, faster and easier to make than most chicken parmesan recipes. Once you try it, expect regular requests for an encore!

    Update: I’ve updated this oven-baked chicken parmesan recipe with new photos and cooking tips for you to enjoy. 

    pinterest button for lighter chicken parmesan

    How to Make Light Chicken Parmesan in the Oven  

    To make this recipe as fast and easy as possible, I recommend having all of the ingredients and equipment out and at the ready. Including lining a baking sheet with foil and a wire rack on top.

    To prepare your chicken breasts for breading, cut them into thin cutlets. Do this by slicing the breasts horizontally, starting at the fatter end and working to the thinner end.

    Cutting the breast in half horizontally helps them cook evenly and quickly without drying out.

    toasting panko

    When your chicken is prepared, you can toast the panko. I like to do this on the stove so I can keep a close eye on the breadcrumbs.

    Once the breadcrumbs start to brown, they brown very quickly, so keep watch and stir often so they do not burn.

    egg wash and seasoned flour

    Tips for Coating Parmesan-Crusted Chicken

    You will need three shallow dishes to coat your chicken breasts. One is for the flour and garlic mixture. Another is for the whisked egg whites. And the third is for your parmesan and panko bread crumbs.

    steps to bread chicken cutlets with egg whites and toasted panko

    Work in an assembly line fashion to dredge the chicken in its parmesan coating. 

    1. First, pat the chicken dry, then coat in the seasoned flour mixture and gently shake off any extra. 
    2. Next, move swiftly to the egg whites and coat the chicken evenly, letting any extra drip off.
    3. Finally, lay the chicken breasts into the bread crumbs and cheese flip to coat as needed. Shake off any extra.

    Arrange the breaded chicken breasts on your prepared wire rack for baking. Before baking, spray all of the chicken breasts with cooking oil. This helps the coating get crispier without adding extra oil. 

    making quick tomato sauce

    Quick Tomato Sauce for Light Chicken Parm 

    This sauce is a wonderfully flavorful compliment to this meal. Plus, it’s very easy to make with just five ingredients, including salt. Add more or less red pepper flakes to suit your tastes.   

    Leftover tomato sauce can be stored in an airtight container for about 5-7 days in the refrigerator. 

    baking crispy chicken cutlets on a wire rack over a baking sheet

    Serving Oven-Baked Chicken Parmesan

    When your parmesan crusted chicken breasts are fully baked, generously cover them with tomato sauce. Then sprinkle generously with mozzarella cheese and return to the oven to melt the cheese. Watch closely so the cheese doesn’t brown or burn.

    This light chicken parmesan pairs well with any steamed veggies, salad, or your favorite pasta for a well-rounded dinner.

    To assemble beautiful plates, I like to spread a little sauce on my plates first. Then I place a chicken breast on top and garnish with fresh basil for a pop of green. 

    light chicken parmesan with steamd broccoli on a white dinner plat

    Storing Leftovers 

    Store leftover chicken parm in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Note that the breadcrumbs will soften as they absorb the sauce on top. 

    More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes

    Here are some other favorite light and healthy chicken recipes for dinner:

    • Quick and easy Chicken Piccata is a light, fresh lemony chicken dinner with your favorite pasta. 
    • Chicken Cordon Bleu Melts pair juicy chicken with gooey, melty cheese for a satisfying dinner all year long. 
    • Instant Pot honey Sesame Chicken from Pressure Cooking Today is one of our favorite Asian-inspired chicken dinner recipes. 
    plat of light chicken parmesan with broccoli
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    Light Chicken Parmesan

    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Servings: 6 servings
    Author: Barbara Bakes LLC
    Prevent your screen from going to sleep

    Equipment

    • OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Half Sheet 13 x 18 Inch
    • OXO Good Grips Cooling Rack
    • All-Clad Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan Cookware Set, 10 inch and 12 inch Fry Pan,

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups panko Japanese-style bread crumbs
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese about ½ cup, plus extra for serving
    • ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
    • salt and ground black pepper
    • 2 large egg whites
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • Vegetable cooking spray
    • 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced horizontally into 6 cutlets
    • 2 cups quick tomato sauce warmed (see below)
    • 3 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese about ¾ cup
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

    Quick Tomato Sauce

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 3 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
    • 2 cans 15 ounces crushed tomatoes in rich puree
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475 degrees. Combine the bread crumbs and oil in a 12-inch skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes. Spread the bread crumbs in a shallow dish and cool slightly; when cool, stir in the Parmesan.
    • In a second shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, 1 tablespoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together. In a third shallow dish, whisk the egg whites and water together.
    • Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, place a wire rack on top, and spray the rack with vegetable oil spray. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour, shaking off the excess, then dip into the egg whites, and finally coat with the bread crumbs, Press on the bread crumbs to make sure they adhere. Lay the chicken on the wire rack.
    • Spray the tops of the chicken with vegetable oil spray. Bake until the meat is no longer pink in the center and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 15 minutes, flipping to the other side after 10 minutes.
    • Remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the sauce onto the center of each cutlet and top the sauce with 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella. Return the chicken to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and serve, passing the remaining sauce and Parmesan separately.
    • Quick Tomato Sauce: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and salt and heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Cover and set aside until needed.
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    about us

    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Carol Knutsen

      January 18, 2018 at 8:20 am

      Looks delicious. Being a Weight Watcher customer, a breakdown in nutritional calories  would be helpful to figure out the points. I am already in your email system. 

      Reply
    2. kelley {mountain mama cooks}

      May 21, 2013 at 6:37 am

      I love this lighter version. I love ordering chicken parmesan in restaurants but always feel guilty since it’s so heavy. This looks perfect! I love that you’re highlighting older recipes… I think I’m going to try and do the same this summer!

      Reply
    3. Renee - Kudos Kitchen

      May 18, 2013 at 12:01 pm

      Your lightened up version sounds wonderful. I’m so jealous of your upcoming trip to Italy. Enjoy!

      Reply
    4. Deb

      May 17, 2013 at 3:56 pm

      Robust and nostalgic, what a compelling recipe! Impressive flavor without added fat is always a great dinner recipe! Enjoy your trip to Italy!

      Reply
    5. Ellieut

      April 01, 2008 at 12:37 am

      Hi Barbara. I made the chicken tonight. It came out very good and my dearest daughter has given me the ok to make it again! Score! Thanks for sharing your recipe.

      Reply
    6. Ellieut

      March 30, 2008 at 12:41 pm

      You know, I just made something similar (Parmesan Chicken) but it was far from light. We tend to be calorie conscious around here and I love this version of it-instead of my whole stick of butter, to replace that with just a tbsp of oil….perfect! I am going to give this a try, going out to look for Panko today!

      Reply
    7. Barbara Bakes

      March 24, 2008 at 12:58 pm

      Thanks Jenny – I’m looking forward to checking out all the Italian recipes. I love Italian food.

      Reply
    8. Jenny

      March 23, 2008 at 11:13 pm

      Yum Barbara,
      I also chose an Italian dish for their event. This recipe looks and sounds delicious!!

      Reply
    9. Barbara Bakes

      March 22, 2008 at 10:18 pm

      Thanks ladies – I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

      Reply
    10. Maryann

      March 22, 2008 at 3:57 pm

      Your lighter version looks delicious, Barbara! Thanks for joining us for our Festa Italiana 🙂

      Reply
    11. Proud Italian Cook

      March 22, 2008 at 3:50 pm

      Barbara,Thanks for joining us with this tasty chicken parm dish for our Festa Italiana, can’t wait to try your lighter version!

      Reply

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