Healthy Baked Chicken Parm Recipe

This recipe is so easy! I prepared the chicken before our guests arrived for game night and just popped it in the oven then I just added the marinara and cheese at the end. No one knew it was lighter on the hips!

I served it with Bucatini pasta. Bucatini resembles thick spaghetti but with a hollow center, known as the "buco" or hole.

Also, roasted veggies. Gotta get our veggies in, right? I just picked up one of those containers that had a whole bunch of different veggies already cut up. Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, onions, carrots, peppers and some squash. Drizzled with some extra virgin olive oil and salt/pepper, roasted for about 25 minutes and it was delicious. Also, easy. Gotta be easy!

Ingredients:

• 6 chicken breasts, sliced in half to make 12
• 1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp melted butter or extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup reduced fat Mozzarella cheese
• 1 jar marinara (whatever your favorite is. I try to look for reduced sugar)
• cooking spray

I like to bread the chicken ahead of time and store the baking sheet in the fridge till I'm ready to bake it. It helps the breading stay on the chicken.

1. Preheat the oven to 450℉ (or wait till later if you are following me) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. 
3. Melt the butter or place the olive oil in another bowl. 
4. Brush the chicken with the butter or olive oil and dip into breadcrumb mixture. 
5. Place on the baking sheet and do the remaining chicken.
6. After the chicken has been sitting in the fridge for awhile, I like to spray both sides with cooking spray. 
7. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, flipping once. 
8. Remove from the oven and spoon marinara sauce over each one and top with Mozzarella cheese. 
9. Bake for about 5 to 8 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

ENJOY!!!