Easy Healthy Baked Breaded Chicken Breast

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This baked breaded chicken breast recipe is the healthier version of the fried chicken nuggets. The breadcrumbs are mixed with Parmesan, garlic and basil to give them a nice flavour. Try those healthy baked chicken tenders once and you will happily replace the fried ones anytime.

Jump to:

• Origins of the baked cutlets
• How to serve them
• Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• How to prepare the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• Making the chicken cutlets
• Cooking the potatoes
• Using other meat or vegetables
• Recipes you might also like
• 📋Baked Breaded Chicken Breast

Origins of the baked cutlets

You are surely familiar with the Veal Milanese, which can be made with any type of meat, beef, chicken or pork. It is delicious but as it is fried in butter, it does not help the waist and the arteries.

A lighter and healthier version is the Palermitana Cutlet. There is no flour, egg nor frying butter or oil. The meat is simply coated with olive oil and breadcrumbs and baked in the oven.

The oil will help the breadcrumbs to stick into the chicken and the toasted breadcrumbs will keep them crisp.

How to serve them

To make them more flavorful, I mix the bread crumbs with garlic, Parmesan, and basil or parsley. Those healthy baked chicken strips are full of flavours and you only need a salad to go with them.

If you want to recreate a lighter version of chicken nuggets and chips, I would suggest making the microwave baked potato chips, soft inside and crisp on the outside, just like the fried ones.

The secret is to microwave the potatoes before you put them in the oven and use the oven just to crisp them up. It will take a fraction of the regular baking time.

Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

I always use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs in many of my recipes, that is why I usually prepare a large amount and keep it in the freezer. They don’t need to be defrosted ahead of time.

If you want to know more about it you can read the article: Grated Parmesan and Breadcrumbs. also check out the article: Once a Month Freezer Meal Prep to find out what else I keep in my freezer.

I always keep the stale bread aside and when I have time I prepare the breadcrumbs and freeze it. Here are the ingredients I use in proportion to 3 cups of grated stale bread:

• 3 cups of grated stale bread
• 1/2 cup of parmesan
• 1/2 cup of basil leaves or parsley
• 1 garlic cloves

If you are making it only for this recipe use the amount listed on the recipe card below.

How to prepare the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1. Grate the parmesan in a shredder
2. Cut the stale bread in chunks small enough to fit in the shredder
3. Shredd the bread putting the garlic first so the bread absorbs the flavour
4. Take a cup of shredded breadcrumbs and blend it with the basil leaves (used shredded bread as the bread is too hard for a blender and you risk breaking it)
5. Add the shredded parmesan to the breadcrumbs
6. Then the breadcrumbs mixed with the basil

Following this procedure will minimize waste (like basil been stuck in the side of the blender, or parmesan left inside the shredder) and a perfect combination of flavours (the breadcrumbs absorbing the garlic and the basil)

It is best if the breadcrumbs rest overnight to absorbs all the flavours. If you freeze them you don’t have to worry about it and use them when needed.

Making the chicken cutlets

1. Cut the chicken breasts into slices
2. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Once they are well seasoned the oil will help the breadcrumbs to stick to the chicken.
3. Coat the chicken in the breadcrumbs.
4. Lay them over parchment paper in an oven tin.
5. Cook 5 minutes on each side at 355 F – 180 C, till the edge of the chicken become white, then turn.

Cooking the potatoes

1. Pierce the potatoes.
2. Cover them with a paper towel and put them in the microwave for 15 to 20 minutes depending on their size
3. Once they are cold cut them in quarters. Season with salt, garlic powder and olive oil and lay them on a baking tray with parchment paper
4. Put them in a hot oven at 390 F – 200 C to crisp 15 minutes before serving

Using other meat or vegetables

In this recipe, I use chicken breast but you can also use chicken thighs, beef cutlets, or pork. Always use thin slices, no thicker than 1/4 inches – 5 millimeters. They need to cook thoroughly in a short time otherwise the breadcrumbs will burn and the meat will remain raw.

It is a very fast meal to prepare!

You can also try a vegan version of this Palermitana cutlet using eggplants, cauliflower, mushrooms (porcini are the best), or zucchini.

For a buffet or children’s party you can make the Sicilian beef braciole instead. Small bites of braciole baked without tomato sauce. Easy to eat in one bite while standing.

Recipes you might also like

For more chicken recipes, check out the category: Main Course

Also check the recipes below:

• Low Fat Roast Chicken Dinner
• Easy Bbq Chicken Breast Recipe
• Chicken and Mushroom Pie Recipe
• Italian Chicken with Peppers
• Homemade chicken nuggets recipe
• Creamy Chicken Marsala without Cream
• Chicken Caesar salad
• Beef Pie With Marsala Sauce

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