Chicken Parmesan

with Healthy Tweaking

THE PUPOSE OF HEALTHY TWEAKING IS, I HOPE, OBVIOUS: To take a meal or recipe that is already a favorite and make it a little healthier and less fattening without sacrificing too much of the flavor.

Ingredients

1 1/4 lb boneless chicken breast (3 breasts pounded, split width-wise to make 6 pieces)

3 eggs 2 egg whites beaten

flour (mixed with a pinch or two of salt and black pepper)

1/2 cup whole milk

Italian style bread crumbs homemade whole wheat bread crumbs (recipe to follow)

shredded whole milk mozzarella part-skim mozzarella

3 tablespoons romano cheese

vegetable spray

jar of tomato sauce marinara sauce (recipe to follow)

Whole wheat bread crumbs:

3-4 slices of whole wheat bread

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon 2-3 pinches of salt

1/2 teaspoon 2-3 pinches of black pepper
4 teaspoons paprika

Marinara:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion chopped

4 cloves garlic sliced length-wise

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3/4 tablespoon black pepper

1 28 oz can whole tomatoes

1 dry bay leaf

1/2 a palmful fresh basil torn

Pre-heat oven to 350º

Place your bread in a food processor and, well, process until fine crumbs are achieved.  Lay these out on a foil lined cookie sheet and cook on the top rack of your oven for about 10 minutes. (You can tell when they look just crunchy to be done-and not burnt.)

While the bread crumbs toast, spray a large skillet with a vegetable spray like PAM and heat olive oil on Medium-High.  As it warms, empty your tomatoes into a large bowl and crush them with your hands (**Personal suggestion-make sure to wash your hands before and if people are within viewing distance, I always find it comforting to make it so they see you washing them—otherwise they’ll always wonder…..).  Set aside.

When your bread crumbs are done, allow to cool and add paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper to a bowl.  Add the cooled crumbs to the dry ingredients toss evenly and set aside.  Raise oven temp to 400º

Add your garlic to your heated pan.  The garlic will start to crackle quickly-you will want to make sure not to burn it.  When the browning starts and it becomes aromatic, lower the heat to medium.  Add your onions and cook until translucent. Add your tomatoes and red pepper flakes, stir and lower heat to low.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Allow to simmer.

While the marinara mellows, take your chicken breasts and cover with flour, followed by dipping in your egg whites and finally covering in bread crumbs.  Spray each side with vegetable spray and place in a glass baking dish.  Put the baking dish on the middle rack in your oven for about 15 minutes.  Remove the bay leaf and fold the basil into your simmering marinara.

Take your dish out and cover chicken with your marinara and sprinkle with a handful and a 1/2 of mozzarella and put back into oven for another 15 minutes.

Notes:

I pieced this together from different recipes and tweaked ‘em and made them what I thought would be appropriate.  I changed measurements from said recipes and added or swapped items.

Tweaks:
The  most obvious tweak would be that this recipe does not call for frying the chicken.
Substituted 3 eggs with 2 egg whites.

Removed milk from the recipe.

Substituted store bought Italian style breadcrumbs with home made whole wheat ones and for that recipe, removed some of the salt.

Substituted whole milk mozzarella for part-skim, used A LOT less of it and and removed the romano altogether.

Changed from a canned tomato sauce to a home-made marinara

These changes were made with the intent to take some of the sodium and fat out of the equation as well as some cholesterol.  The romano and salt were easy exclusions as they can always sit on the table and be used at each diner’s discretion.  The biggest choice, or smartest, is the choice not to fry.  Heart healthy, waist healthy.

Verdict: Eh

What would I change? 

I personally would use more salt—my blood runs pretty well and I can take it (knock on wood) at this point.  I have made this recipe with more success in the past with a tad less of a pro-health slant.  It tastes pretty good for a “healthified*” meal. 


That being said, though "pretty good for...", only a semi success- I did not deem this a neighbor-worthy meal to share.  Sorry guys.  Those cupcakes were good though so that should keep you sated for a while longer.

Suggestions: For those really concerned about losing too much flavor in favor of healthy choices, I suggest easing into this recipe.

*I cheat the English language by making up my own words.

RECALL: I realized weeks later that I forgot paprika in the whole wheat bread crumbs.



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