Skinny Chicken Parm

Does the summer heat have anyone else craving healthier foods? There seems to be something about the summer heat that makes me crave more protein and veggies rather than carbs. Don't get me wrong, I'm not on the carb hating train. I love my pasta and bread! However, recently I have just found myself reaching for those healthier foods. This summer my family has started getting a box of farm fresh veggies each week.  We have no idea what will be in the box, but it's been a great way to get us to eat a wider variety of vegetables with more frequency. We have gotten a ton of zucchini, so I've been searching for creative ways to use all of it.  

About a year ago I became infatuated with zucchini noodles. They definitely aren't pasta, but they are a great healthy alternative. Plus, when they are cooked the right way they are pretty tasty! There's a couple ways to get a whole zucchini to turn into noodles. You can use a spiralizer, a veggie cutter (this will give you straight noodles), or just chop them into thin long pieces.  We don't have a spiralizer, so I usually use our veggie slicer. 

Ingredients:

2 Zucchini

2 tbsp. Olive Oils

1 egg

Salt

Pepper

4 Chicken Breast 

1 tbsp. Italian Herb Seasoning

3/4 cup Panic Bread Crumbs

Mozzarella Cheese

Pasta Sauce 

1/2 cup Fresh Parmesan Cheese 

Angel hair pasta (optional) 

Directions:

One: Prep 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray it with canola oil. This will prevent the chicken from sticking plus it makes for an easy clean up.

Two: Prepping the Chicken 

Combine the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, Italian he seasoning, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper in a gallon size ziplock bag. 

In a separate pie dish, crack one egg and mix it until the yolk and egg white is well combined. Dip each cleaned chicken breast into the egg and then place it in the bag of crumbs. Mix the chicken in the bag until it is well covered. Remove it from the bag and place it on the baking sheet. Continue this process until all pieces of chicken have been covered. 

Three: Bake the Chicken 

Bake the chicken in the oven for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through. 

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven. Place a spoonful of sauce on each piece of chicken. I tend to go lighter on the sauce, but this can change depending on your preference. Add a combination of mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top of the sauce.  You can also add provolone cheese. Personally, I think the more cheese the better! 

Place the chicken back in the oven until the cheese is melted. 

Four: Cooking Zucchini Noodles 

To cook the zucchini noodles, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan with salt, pepper, and a pinch of garlic.  Add the zucchini, once the oil is hot. Cook for two minutes. After two mines add a quarter cup of water and cook the noodles for five to seven minutes until they are soft.  This will give them flavor but also make them soft like actual noodles. Once the noodles are cooked, set them aside in a serving dish. 

If you're cooking for people who don't like zucchini noodles, then you can also make a quick batch of angel hair pasta. Sometimes, I enjoy mixing the noodles with the angel hair. It adds a bit of flavor! 

Five: Enjoy!

Plate your food and enjoy. I usually like to add a little bit of sauce and parmesan on top of my noodles before I place the chicken on them. 

XOXO