Look on the menu of almost any Italian restaurant and you’ll see this popular dish.  I’ve remade it skinny compared to a restaurant recipe by using skinless chicken breasts, cooking in a small amount of reduced-fat butter, topping with reduced-fat cheese and just a small amount of Parmesan cheese. One delicious serving has 280 calories, 7.8 grams of fat and 7 Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS. One serving of Olive Garden’s Chicken Parmigiana has a horrific 1090 calories and 49 grams of fat! Check out the serving tips below for what to serve with this terrific classic.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (1 pound total), see shopping tip

½ cup Panko bread crumbs, see shopping tip

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Fresh ground pepper

1 egg white

1 tablespoon reduced-fat butter or Smart Balance Light

2 cups from a jarred spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce, see shopping tip

1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Rinse the chicken breasts under cold running water and pat dry. Pound chicken breasts to flatten, see prep tip.

2. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. In another small bowl add the egg white.

4. In a large nonstick pan, melt the butter. Right next to the cook top, dip each chicken breast in egg and then into bread crumbs to coat.  Repeat with all chicken breasts and add to hot pan.  Fry chicken on each side, over medium heat, about 5-6 minutes, until chicken is done and no longer pink inside. Remove chicken to a plate.

6. In the same pan add the spaghetti sauce and heat thoroughly. Add back to pan the cooked chicken and cover with sauce. Top each piece with ¼ cup shredded cheese and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, cover and cook until cheese is melted.

7. Using a spatula, remove each piece to a dinner plate.

Makes 4 servings (each serving 1 chicken breast and about ½ cup sauce)

Shopping Tips
Most supermarkets sell 1 pound packages of 4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast. If you buy a 1 pound package with only 2 larger breast, just cut them in half.

Panko bread crumbs create a much crispier breading. You’ll find them in the baking aisle where other bread crumbs are sold.

I used Classico Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce. It has only 50 calories and 1 gram of fat for a ½ cup serving or use your favorite.

Prep Tip
There are several ways to flatten a chicken breast. The most common way is to place one chicken breast in a plastic bag. Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken breast to flatten to an even thickness, about ½ inch thick. Another way I recently discovered, is to flatten it using a tortilla press! Place the chicken breast in a plastic bag and let the press do the pounding work. A tortilla press is made out of cast iron. You can buy it in a cookware store or a place such as Bed, Bath, and Beyond. They sell one for $19.95 and I used my 20% coupon!  I now use it often for flattening all kind of meats.

Serving Tips
I love this chicken with the sauce and a vegetable on the side. Other serving ideas, place chicken and sauce on top of a side of whole wheat spaghetti or Skinny Mash Potatoes, if desired. My favorite vegetable to serve this dreamy dish with with my recipe for:

Garlic Sauteed Spinach.

Weight Watchers (old points) 6
Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS 7