For A Lighter Take On Chicken Parmesan, Fire Up The Grill

Chicken parmesan is an absolute classic when it comes to hearty, Italian-American comfort food. The crispy-fried, breaded chicken breast smothered in tomato sauce and melted cheese hits the spot every time. Unfortunately, it's not the healthiest option to eat fried chicken every time the craving strikes, so if you want the flavors of classic chicken parm on a regular basis, you've got to find ways to make a lighter version. That's where the grill comes in.

You can easily enjoy the flavors of chicken parmesan in a grilled version, even adding it to your rotation of easy summer chicken recipes. Marinate or season the chicken breast as you normally would, then grill it until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This can be done like grilled chicken for any other recipe, or you can tenderize it with a meat mallet first — which makes it cook faster.

Classic chicken parm is topped with marinara sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese — and a grilled version is no different. You can spoon the marinara sauce right on the chicken then add and melt the cheeses by closing the lid for a few minutes. To prevent sauce and cheese from falling through the grates and burning, just make sure you first transfer the grilled chicken breasts onto aluminum foil or a pan.

To make your grilled version of chicken parmesan even closer to the original, add some panko bread crumbs. Toss your bread crumbs with freshly chopped basil or parsley, then toast them in butter until they're golden brown. Once the saucy, cheesy chicken comes off the grill, top it with a sprinkle of your toasted, herbed bread crumbs for a bit of crunch and flavor.

Typically, crispy chicken parm is served with spaghetti, linguine, or angel hair pasta in tomato sauce — which is obviously delicious. If you're trying to keep it on the lighter side, consider serving your grilled chicken parm on top of roasted or grilled veggies like zucchini and bell peppers. Or simply serve a classic Italian salad alongside the grilled chicken parm for the perfect summer patio meal. For a vegetarian version, give eggplant parm the grill treatment, or, try our easy baked eggplant parmesan.