Chicken Parmigiana

Chicken Parmesan is one of my go to recipes that I make when I’m tight on time and want something tasty. I’ve been making a recipe that my mom made forever but thought I’d branch out and see what the recipe blog world had to offer.

I came across The Pioneer Woman’s recipe for Chicken Parmigiana and knew it would be a flavorful hit. As posted with 6 servings, each serving provides:

772 calories

29.6 g fat

76.2 g carbohydrate

46.9 g protein

I tried not to alter the recipe too much so I could get the full flavor that she promised. Instead of ½ cup olive oil, I reduced it to 2 Tbsp olive oil. I also practiced portion control and used ½ pound of whole wheat pasta, instead of a full pound of linguine for six people. The smaller portion of pasta let the focus be on the delicious chicken and can be paired with a green salad to fill up your plate.

Chicken Parmigiana – BETTER

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed and pounded flat

½ cup all-purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 whole medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

¾ cup wine (white or red)

3 cans (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes

2 Tbsp sugar

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

½ pound whole wheat pasta

Mix flour, salt and pepper together on a large plate. Dredge flattened chicken breasts in flour mixture. Set aside.

Start a pot of water for your pasta. Cook pasta until al dente.

Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted and oil/butter mixture is hot, add chicken breasts and cook until nice and golden brown on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and keep warm.

Without cleaning the skillet, add onions and garlic and gently stir for 2 minutes. Pour in whine and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting all the flavorful bits off the bottom. Allow the wine to cook down until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Pour in crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add sugar and more salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook for 30 minutes. Toward the end of cooking time, add chopped parsley and give sauce a final stir.
Carefully lay chicken breasts on top of the sauce and completely cover them in grated parmesan. Place lid on skillet and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer until cheese is melted and chicken is thoroughly heated.

Place cooked noodles on a plate and cover with sauce. Place chicken breast on top and sprinkle with more parsley. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings, per serving:

463 calories

15.6 g fat

38.7 g carbohydrate

5.9 g fiber

41.3 g protein