Chicken Parmesan is the quintessential “red sauce” Italian-American dish. In our version, the chicken is baked, not fried, and we’ve added some of that cancer-protective powerhouse kale to the sauce. It can be nice to keep our Quick Tomato Sauce handy in the freezer to make it super easy to put together homey, satisfying dishes like Chicken Parm’. If you’re making it from scratch it will only add a few more minutes to your prep. Pounding the chicken breasts will tenderize them to perfection, but if you’re feeling tired, try using the thinly sliced chicken breasts that are available in most poultry aisles.

30 minute prep

4 servings

10 ingredients

Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 Breadcrumbs
  • 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled and chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour, more if necessary
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 4 (4 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 4 kale leaves, stems removed, and chopped
  • 7 ounces fresh mozarella, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper and place on a large plate. Pour the flour onto a large plate, and the whisked eggs into a shallow bowl.
  3. Coat a chicken breast lightly in flour, then dip into the eggs, allowing the excess to drip off, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere. Place the breaded chicken onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat for all the chicken breasts.
  4. Bake in the oven for 7 minutes.
  5. Spread the tomato sauce in the bottom of a rimmed baking pan and layer kale on top. Place the par baked chicken cutlets on top of the kale, then top the chicken with slices of mozzarella.
  6. Bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):

Calories: 544; Fat: 21g; Saturated Fat: 10g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6g; Carbohydrates: 40g; Sugar: 8g; Fiber: 6g; Protein: 50g; Sodium: 1324mg

Chef Tips:

If you’re new to pounding out chicken breasts, here’s how to do it. Be warned, it’s a pretty noisy business. If you live in an apartment, spare your neighbors by putting a tea towel or silicone mat under your cutting board to muffle the sound. Cover your cutting board with waxed paper.
Lay the chicken breast in the center and cover it with more waxed paper.
Using the smooth side of a tenderizing mallet, starting with the thickest part, bash the chicken breast through the paper with an outward motion. Keep pounding until the breast is about the same thickness throughout, and has spread out enough to doubled in size.

Our Quick Tomato Sauce is the perfect addition to this recipe.

Registered Dietitian Approved

Our recipes, articles, videos, and more content are reviewed by our Registered Dietitian Kate Ueland, MS, RD, CSO, a board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition, to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society.

This recipe was originally published on Cook for Your Life. It is used by permission.

Fred Hutch Cook For Your Life logo TM