Eggplant parm or melanzane alla parmigiana is one of my favorite dishes to order in Italy. Annik, my good friend from Norway, and I used to walk the cobblestone streets in search of the perfect primi when we’d meet for holiday in Rome.

Here, I made a lighter version and opted for chicken rather than eggplant. I wanted a complete meal rather than a primi. Because, honestly, I didn’t want to also cook a secondi.

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 oz pasta, dry

• ½ cup Italian tomato sauce

• 1 tsp Italian herbs

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil

  Baked Chicken Parm

• 3 oz chicken breast, cut in half, lengthwise (or 1 chicken cutlet)

• ¼ cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

• 1 Tbsp parmesan, grated

• 1 tsp Italian herbs, dried

• 1 Tbsp mozzarella cheese

• ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil

  Grilled Vegetables

• ½ zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise or in circles

• ½ small eggplant, thinly sliced lengthwise or in circles

• ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS 

See possible recipe alterations and comments in the notes section below.

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat or spray lightly with olive oil or avocado spray.

Making the Chicken Parm

Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and 1 tsp Italian herbs on a plate. Lightly brush the chicken with a ½ tsp of olive oil, then dip the chicken into the breadcrumb mixture, flipping it over and lightly pressing it into the mixture to ensure it’s evenly coated. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, make the sauce by sautéing garlic in ½ tsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add Italian herbs and saute for 1 minute; add a pinch of salt. Add tomato sauce and bring to a low boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently.

Remove chicken from the oven, top with 1 Tbsp sauce and 1 Tbsp mozzarella. Return to the oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Preparing the Grilled Vegetables

Heat your grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, place eggplant and zucchini in a single layer (don't overcrowd the pan – you’ll likely need to cook in batches). Flip vegetables with tongs to evenly grill on both sides. Remove from heat and top with a drizzle of olive oil.

Assembling

Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Serve with chicken parm and grilled vegetables.

Notes

Use GF bread crumbs to make GF. Use DF cheese to make DF.

If you can’t find whole wheat panko bread crumbs you can use regular. If you can’t find panko at all, any bread crumb will do.

Feel free to replace the zucchini with any summer squash.

A peeler works great for slicing the zucchini. You can use a knife or mandoline for both vegetables as well.

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This post was written by Kelly Powers, MA, RDN. Kelly is a Registered Dietitian and Culinary Nutritionist who takes a holistic approach to nutrition and health. She is a recipe developer with a food blog highlighting whole foods, simple recipes, and her life in San Francisco. Kelly is the creator of Weeknight Dinners, a weekly meal plan program that helps users get back in the kitchen and feed themselves well. Kelly specializes in meal planning, the Mediterranean diet, and sustainable behavior change, helping her clients reach their health goals while improving their relationship with food.