healthier baked cherry tomato chicken parmesan.
breaded chicken under melty mozzarella and bursted garlicky cherry tomatoes comes together in under thirty minutes for the perfect light and easy weeknight meal.
Serves: 4 Cook time: 30 minutes
More cherry tomatoes, I know, but listen- they are so versatile and so tasty, you should pick up a pack to have on hand every time you're at the store. Salads, pastas, snacks, and now chicken parmesan. What can't they do?
Probably like most people, I am trying to eat healthier lately and largely for me that means changing up my dinner routine. I'm super guilty of poor planning and ending up with bits and pieces of a full meal, but never a fully nutritious situation and almost always lacking the vegetable portion. The idea behind this meal came from wanting more fresh veggies in a classic, easy, delicious dish. So, healthier chicken parm.
In college I learned how to make chicken parmesan from my italian roommate and her family and made it almost religiously from then on, mostly with cheap chicken tenderloins in between long studio classes. I fried my chicken parmesan in a deep layer of oil and served it with spaghetti and Newman's Own, sometimes serving with a side of soggy spinach. Those were the days, alright, and I hadn't much departed from that version of the dish, either.
To bring a little California-esque sophistication to the meal, I decided to take the frying step away and replace the jarred sauce with fresh tomatoes. It didn't feel right without the gooey mozzarella, and I didn't think a few fresh slices were enough to destroy a diet, anyways. However, to make this dairy-free or otherwise just a little bit healthier still, you can omit the cheese entirely.
I'd love to label this now slimmed-down dish as a "one pan" meal, but it's not, thanks to the prep of breading the chicken which uses a minimum of two extra dishes. I was a little surprised the breading turned out so delicious without the frying pan, but I promise, it's almost even better; crispy outside and super moist inside. You just have to be mindful of the cooking time, temp, and flipping instructions: all play important roles in making the baked chicken super good.
You're cooking this meal pretty hot: 425 degrees. It goes pretty fast, even with pretty thick chicken- I made this a few times, and even with my thickest chicken, it only took 25 minutes total. The first 10 minutes get the underside pretty crispy, and the second 12-15 cooks it all the way through, crisping up the other side. If your chicken is thin, start checking around 12 minutes for an internal temperature of 165F. It's hard to tell otherwise if the chicken is done since it's breaded, but if you don't have a thermometer you can usually guess it's doneness by it's golden brown coloring.
I also found that a little bit of oil on the chicken helps the breading get crispy- but don't drown it in oil or the breading will slide off or get soggy. Just a light drizzle before baking will do the trick.
I have a few more tips below, but this one is pretty easy! Enjoy.
baked cherry tomato chicken parmesan ingredients
chicken breast: Instead of doing any pounding, slice the chicken lengthwise so you have two thin pieces, ideally about 1/4" thick or less. I'm not very good at this and usually end up with lopsided, embarrassingly small pieces, but that's better than trying to use a thick, 1/2" piece that's likely to cook unevenly under its breading. What's better is that you get to stretch your chicken out a little, as two chicken breasts makes four pieces of chicken parmesan.
breadcrumbs: You can use panko, plain, or italian-style, whichever you prefer. Panko will be a little bit crispier and italian-style will be lightly seasoned with oregano. I almost always use italian-style because the extra seasoning doesn't hurt.
flour: I have actually fried with whole wheat flour and it works, so if you'd like to try a healthier option for flour, I'd recommend whole wheat. Otherwise, all-purpose is best, and you only need a cup or less for coating the chicken.
eggs: I needed two large eggs for this, but if you are overly-generous with the dredging, you may need more. Typically, I need one egg for every two pieces. The egg is the binding agent and helps the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken.
mozzarella: A classic for this recipe, I couldn't justify leaving it out entirely. I'd highly recommend splurging on the fresh kind for a perfect melt and a fresher flavor. I used the log and sliced the mozz into 1/4" thick sections. I used 1-2 per chicken piece, depending on the size of the chicken- you can use as much or as little as you'd like! Remember, the cheese will melt and spread, so a little bit goes a longer way than you'd think.
cherry tomatoes: You'll need about 15-20, or about as many as comes in the packs at the grocery store. Cut them in half to cook, and smash once bursted for a more saucy end result. This technique is very similar to my sheet-pan calabrian chile recipe!
garlic: Of course, lots and lots of garlic. Actually, you might want double of what's called for here if you're a garlic lover. You can't have too much in a dish like this.
oregano: One of two fresh herbs in this dish- I'd recommend trying the fresh versions, but the dried oregano will definitely do the trick. If using the fresh, you'll want to pluck the leaves off of a few sprigs so you have a handful to sprinkle over the tomatoes- about 3 tablespoons worth. It's hard to be exact about fresh herb measurements, but it's also hard to over or under-do it.
basil: Finally, the basil, which adds the freshest delicious flavor here. Tear with your fingers (not a knife) and sprinkle on top once cooked- otherwise you'll risk burnt and wilted basil.
baked cherry tomato chicken parmesan pairing options
To keep up the healthy vibe, pair with fresh greens or a salad; to bulk up the meal with some carbs, pair with a light pasta.
lemony orzo
fresh arugula
quinoa and spinach
cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc