Lighter Chicken Parmigiana Food

HEALTHY CHICKEN PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in upper third. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. In a food processor, place bread, Parmesan, oil, and a pinch each salt and pepper. Pulse until coarse crumbs form; transfer to a shallow bowl. Place flour in a second shallow bowl; season with salt and pepper. Place egg white in a third shallow bowl, and beat with a fork until frothy.
• Dip top side of a chicken breast in flour, shaking off excess. Dip same side in egg white, letting excess drip off, then in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere. (Do not bread other side.) Repeat with remaining chicken and transfer, breaded side up, to prepared baking sheet. Bake until breadcrumbs are crisp and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with mozzarella. Continue baking until chicken is opaque throughout and cheese is lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, place tomatoes, breaking them up with your fingers. Add garlic; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until sauce has thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve chicken with a generous amount of tomato sauce.

LIGHTER CHICKEN PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt. In another bowl, beat egg substitute. Dip chicken in egg substitute, then roll in crumbs. Place in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray., Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 10 minutes. Turn chicken; bake for 10 minutes. Pour spaghetti sauce over chicken; bake for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses; bake 10 minutes longer or until chicken juices run clear.

CHICKEN PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each breast in the flour and tap off excess, then dip in the egg and let excess drip off, then dredge on both sides in the bread crumbs.
• Divide the oil between 2 large saute pans and heat over high heat until almost smoking. Add 2 chicken breasts to each pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet and top each breast with some Tomato Sauce, a few slices of the mozzarella, salt and pepper, and a tablespoon of Parmesan. Bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with basil or parsley leaves.
• Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add pureed tomatoes with their juices, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 cup water, bay leaf, parsley, Cubano pepper, and bring to a boil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.

LIGHTENED CHICKEN AND EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Mist both sides of the eggplant slices with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle both sides with the Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until browned and tender, turning once, about 6 minutes. Set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, combine the flour and cayenne in a shallow dish. Combine the egg whites and 1 teaspoon water in a second dish. Combine the cereal and parmesan cheese in a third dish. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dredge with the flour and tap off the excess. Coat with the egg whites and then place in the cereal mix and press until well coated on both sides. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Mist a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 of the oil and then 2 pieces of the coated chicken. Cook, turning once, until the chicken is just cooked through, about 5 mintues. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.
• Place 2 eggplant slices on each chicken cutlet and top evenly with the tomatoes and cheese. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.

LIGHTER CHICKEN PARMESAN WITH SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475°F.
• Combine the bread crumbs and oil in a 12-inch skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 20 minutes. Spread the bread crumbs in a shallow dish and cool slightly; when cool, stir in the parmesan.
• In a second shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoons pepper together. In a third shallow dish, whisk the egg whites and water together.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, place a wire rack on top and spray the rack with vegetable oil spray. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour, shaking off the excess, then dip in the egg whites, and finally coat with the bread crumbs. Press on the bread crumbs to make sure they adhere. Lay the chicken on the wire rack.
• Spray the tops of the chicken with the vegetable oil spray. Bake until the meat is no longer pink in the center and feel firm when pressed with a finger, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the sauce onto the center of each cutlet; top the sauce with 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella. Return the chicken to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and serve, passing the remaining sauce and parmesan separately.
• FOR SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE: Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor until mostly smooth, about ten one second pulses; set aside.
• Cook the garlic, tomato paste, oil and pepper flakes in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the puréed tomatoes and cook until the sauce is thickened and measures 2 cups, about 20 minutes.
• Off the heat, stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside until needed.

CHICKEN PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Stir the oil and herbs in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a large heavy oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the mozzarella over each cutlet, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the Parmesan over each. Sprinkle the butter pieces atop the cutlets. Bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.;
• In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove the bay leaves and check for seasoning. If the sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors. Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with the remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

CHICKEN PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Halve 2 large skinless chicken breasts through the middle then place the 4 pieces between cling film sheets and bash out with a rolling pin until they are the thickness of a £1 coin.
• Dip in 2 beaten eggs, then 75g breadcrumbs, mixed with half of the 75g grated parmesan. Set aside on a plate in the fridge while you make the sauce.
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and cook 2 crushed garlic cloves for 1 min, then tip in half a 690ml jar passata, 1 tsp caster sugar and 1 tsp dried oregano. Season and simmer for 5-10 mins.
• Heat grill to High and cook the chicken for 5 mins each side, then remove.
• Pour the tomato sauce into a shallow ovenproof dish and top with the chicken.
• Scatter over torn pieces of half a 125g ball light mozzarella, and the remaining grated parmesan and grill for 3-4 mins until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling.
• Serve with vegetables or salad and some pasta or potatoes, if you like.

COOKING LIGHT MAGAZINE'S CHICKEN PARMESAN

Steps:

• Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
• Dip chicken in egg; dredge in crumbs.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned.
• Pour spaghetti sauce over chicken. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and simmer 5 more minutes or until cheese melts.

LIGHTER AUBERGINE PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Measure the 2 tbsp of oil into a small bowl. Brush just a little of it onto 2 large, non- stick baking sheets (if you only have 1 tray, bake the aubergines in batches). Mix the lemon juice into the measured oil. Lay the aubergine slices snugly in a single layer on the baking sheets, brush the tops with half the oil and lemon, season with pepper and bake for 20 mins. Turn the slices over, give the remaining oil and lemon mixture a good stir as it will have separated, and brush it over again. Season with pepper and bake for 10-15 mins more or until softened.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tsp oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 3-4 mins, stirring often, until the onion is softened and starting to brown. Tip in the cans of tomatoes, stir to break them up, then mix in the purée, pepper and a pinch of salt. Simmer uncovered for about 10-12 mins until thickened and saucy, then stir in the oregano.
• Spread a little of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a shallow ovenproof dish (about 25 x 20 x 5cm). Start by laying a third of the aubergine slices widthways across the dish, spread over a third of the remaining sauce and put half the ricotta on top in small spoonfuls, then half the mozzarella. Scatter over half the torn basil and season well with pepper. Repeat the layering of aubergine slices, tomato sauce, ricotta, mozzarella and basil, and finish with the final aubergine slices, the sliced tomatoes and the last of the sauce. Season with pepper and scatter over the Parmesan. Bake for about 20 mins, or until the cheese is golden and the juices are bubbling.