Healthy Parmesan Crusted Chicken

This Healthy Parmesan Crusted Chicken is a lightened-up version of Parmesan chicken. This easy chicken recipe is baked in the oven and is extra flavorful and juicy with a savory crunchy topping.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken is always a family favorite, and this lightened-up version is no exception. To lighten up the recipe, I replaced most of the mayo with Greek yogurt and reduced the amount of bread crumbs and parmesan.

The result is a tender and juicy chicken breast. You would never know this is a lightened-up version unless I told you!

Easy and quick, this Lightened-up parmesan chicken can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. It’s perfect for a weeknight meal but fancy enough to serve at your next dinner party. Double the recipe for a big crowd or just to have extras for lunch. This parmesan chicken tastes great the next day, hot or cold.

Ingredients And Tips For Skinny Parmesan Crusted Chicken

(Ingredients at a glance, find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

• Greek yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt is what you want. You can use any level of fat, as it is really just the coating of the yogurt and mayo that helps lock in the moisture.
• Mayonnaise: Regular mayonnaise is best for flavor. You can use lite mayo to reduce the calories, but it is only a small amount of mayo, so I suggest the full fat.
• Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated parmesan cheese makes for the best topping, but you can use the canned grated parmesan as well.
• Chicken breasts: Use boneless, skinless chicken breast halves. I recommend smaller breasts (6 to 7 oz raw) that are as uniform in size and shape as possible.
• Italian seasoning: You can use an Italian seasoning premix or the individual spices; oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram.
• Bread crumbs: Breadcrumbs add a nice texture. You can use regular breadcrumbs, but panko breadcrumbs tend to be crunchier.

How To Make Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken

1 Combine all the ingredients: Mix mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and parmesan cheese in a medium-sized bowl.

2 Coat the chicken: Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet and top with the yogurt mixture, then sprinkle with bread crumbs and Italian seasoning.

3 Bake the chicken: Bake 20 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. I suggest using a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to 165 F.

Recipe tips

• Even out the thickness of the chicken breast with a meat mallet or rolling pin. A uniform thickness ensures that all parts of the meat cook evenly, preventing the thinner sections from drying out.
• Use a meat thermometer – Accuracy is key when cooking chicken breasts. Avoid overcooking and drying the chicken. The optimal temperature for chicken is 165°F at the thickest part.
• Use uniform sized breasts – Smaller chicken breasts (6-7 oz) are preferable due to shorter baking time. Larger breasts require longer baking, which can lead to excess browning of the bread crumbs. If your chicken breasts are large and need more than 20 minutes in the oven, protect them from over-browning by covering them loosely with foil.
• Opt for Panko bread crumbs over regular ones – Panko bread crumbs stand out due to their unique bulky and crispy texture.

Variations

• Add some cheese on top. Sprinkle with more parmesan or top with mozzarella cheese.
• You can adjust the flavor by using any combination of spices you prefer, and add red pepper flakes for some heat.
• Use chicken thighs instead of breasts.

Storage

• Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave.
• Freeze leftover chicken for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven or microwave.

FAQs

Did You Make This Healthy Parmesan Crusted Chicken?

Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. If you share an image on Instagram or Facebook, be sure to tag me and use #scatteredmomrecipes!

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Enjoy!

Looking for more lightened-up recipes?  Be sure to check these out:

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