Lighter Chicken Parmesan

Chicken parmesan is usually something that would be considered off-limits in a healthy diet because of all of the fat from pan-frying plus copious amounts of melted cheese on top. This version of chicken parm has been lightened up and got a facelift in the nutrition department by the use of whole grain bread crumbs, reduced fat cheese and using egg whites instead of whole eggs in the breading process. Since so little Parmesan cheese is used, it is okay to use the full fat version. Baking takes the place of messy, greasy pan-frying and cuts down on the calories. You can serve these with cooked pasta or by themselves with a green salad as a side.

Lighter Chicken Parmesan

1 1/3 cups whole grain bread crumbs (Gia Russa is an excellent brand)

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. paprika

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 egg whites

½ cup skim milk (optional)

½ cup flour

4 (6 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded into ½" thick paillards

1 jar marinara sauce (about 3½ cups worth)

¾ cup (3 oz.) shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a shallow dish, mix the crumbs with the oregano, garlic powder, paprika, ¼ tsp. kosher salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. In another shallow dish, whisk together the egg white and milk - I'm making the milk optional here because you can easily get away with just using the egg whites when you're dredging - if you don't want to use milk, I suggest adding another two egg whites. In a third dish, mix the flour with the remaining ¼ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper.

Dip each piece of chicken, 1 at a time, into the flour, then the egg and lastly, the crumb mixture. Shake off any excess.

Place the breaded chicken into a glass baking dish and spray each side with olive oil cooking spray, about 5 seconds per side - or, lightly (key word:  lightly), drizzle each side with regular olive oil. Bake the breasts until cooked through and the crumbs are browned, around 12 - 15 minutes, based on how thinly you've made your paillards. To encourage even baking, you could set the chicken on top of a lightly greased rack that has been placed on a baking sheet.

Top with the marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. Serve immediately with pasta, a green salad or other sides of your choice.

Serves 4