Skinny Spaghetti Squash Chicken Parmesan is a healthy twist on the traditional classic. Lightly breaded chicken breasts are baked and served with low-carb spaghetti squash and marinara for a comforting dinner your family will ask for again and again!
Skinny Spaghetti Squash Chicken Parmesan
Our family didn’t enjoy many Italian meals growing up apart from Chicken Cacciatore and Lasagna. Heck, we didn’t even eat spaghetti much at all?! We were a decidedly German and Norwegian family, enjoying a whole lot of red meat and potatoes for the most part. Those meals didn’t appeal much to me as a child and still don’t that much today. I much prefer the fresh flavors and cuisine of Italian and Greek fare to the heavy casseroles and roasts. I would have loved a good Chicken Parmesan, but sadly the first time I ever enjoyed it was in a restaurant!
This Skinny Spaghetti Squash Chicken Parmesan is a lighter twist on the traditional Italian favorite. Instead of heavy pasta, we are using a light spaghetti squash and instead of frying the chicken in lots of oil we are baking it for a crunchy and tender chicken breast. The combination of the two together prepared on a sheet pan is an easy, hearty and healthy meal the whole family will enjoy.
For added fresh flavor, I used Gourmet Garden’s lightly dried basil and parsley in the light Panko breading. It adds a vibrant flavor to this Skinny Spaghetti Squash Chicken Parmesan that you just can’t get from old dried herbs sitting in your cupboard. I just love the Gourmet Garden products and in particular their lightly dried herbs. I can store the little containers in my refrigerator for weeks on end and have the fresh flavors of herbs in all my meals without having to deal with the hassle and expense of the quick spoilage you get from the fresh store-bought herbs. It’s a win-win in my book!
Skinny Spaghetti Squash Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 c. marinara sauce
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 c. Panko break crumbs
- 2 tsp. lightly dried basil
- 2 tsp. lightly dried parsley
- 2 oz. mozzarella shredded
- 1 oz. Parmesan shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°.
- Cut your spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down on a large place and microwave for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile add the flour and salt to a medium bowl, the beaten egg to a second bowl and the Panko, basil and parsley to a third bowl.
- Pound the chicken out to 1/2" thick and dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. Dip the floured chicken into the beaten eggs to fully coat the breast and finally coat it in the Panko mixture.
- Place the chicken on a sprayed baking sheet along with the spaghetti squash cut side up.
- Bake at 400° for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and shred the spaghetti squash with a fork and toss with the marinara sauce. Top the chicken with the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes.
- Serve the spaghetti squash topped with the breaded Parmesan chicken.
Nutrition
More healthy and hearty meals!
Light Turkey Noodle Casserole
Pressure Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken & Noodles
Roasted Veggie & Chicken Sausage Penne Bowls
Julie Evink says
This looks amazing! It’s going on my menu for next week!