Chicken Parmesan (Lightened up)
Why oh why did it take me so long to make chicken parmesan? If you haven’t made it before, try this recipe. It is so easy to make and it is seriously comfort food!
I have lightened this recipe up so it doesn’t involve any deep frying but still packs all the flavor. I love serving this on a bed of spaghetti but you could serve it any way you like!
Pro tip - Read on to learn how you can air fry or bake this dish with a delicious crisp every time!
Recipe for Nasreen’s Lightened up Chicken Parmesan:
Ingredients Needed:
4 chicken breasts about 4oz each (if uneven thickness, you can pound them down to make for even cooking)
1 oz shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs (if you don’t have Italian ones, use regular ones but add some Italian seasoning or oregano to the crumbs)
1 tablespoon butter melted
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (my kids like cheddar so I use that sometimes as well)
1/4 cup or more marinara sauce
Optional - red chili flakes, oregano flakes for topping
To serve with - Cooked pasta of choice
Servings Made: 4 servings
Time to Prep: 10 minutes
Time to Cook: 25-35 minutes
How to Make:
Mix bread crumbs with shaved parmesan in a medium bowl large enough to fit chicken breast. Brush melted butter or olive oil on both sides of chicken breast and dip into breadcrumb/cheese mixture. Ensure both sides are coated well. Follow method below for cooking (either oven or air fryer).
Oven Method
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place coated breasts onto a foil lined and greased baking tray and bake for about 25-30 minutes until cooked through. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. If you want them more crispy, spray the tops with some olive oil spray before baking.
Remove tray from oven and top each breast with 1-2 tablespoons of marinara sauce and a tablespoon of shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with a sprinkle of red chili flakes and oregano flakes if desired. Place tray back into the oven for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.
Air Fryer Method
Preheat air fryer to 380°F and grease basket with oil or spray. Place coated chicken breasts into basket and spray tops with olive oil spray. Cook for 17-25 mins until chicken cooked through. Time to cook with vary with size of each breast. Check doneness with a meat thermometer. You can flip the chicken about 2/3 of the way through but be careful not to remove the breading when flipping.
Remove basket from air fryer, and top each breast with 1-2 tablespoons of marinara sauce, and a tablespoon of shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with a sprinkle of red chili flakes and oregano flakes if desired. Place tray back into the air fryer for a few more minutes until cheese is melted.
Serve with pasta, rice or salad.
Enjoy!
