Day #3 - Chicken Parmigiana

Tonight I got off work early, so I decided we needed to have a "fancy dinner".....I set the table and EVERYTHING. I know - don't look so shocked. I surprised even myself.

In anticipation of tonight's meal, I packed a very low calorie lunch for work, and although it was a filling lunch, it wasn't my ideal afternoon meal. I am now realizing this was a wasted effort because even though this dinner may seem like it's oh so bad for you, after putting together the nutritional numbers, I'm realizing it's really not oh so bad. Especially considering this same meal at my favorite local Italian restaurant (you know who you are) has over twice the calories and 3 times the fat....yeah it's that bad. I'm so excited to have found this great healthier substitution. The only thing I would change about this recipe next time, is baking the chicken rather than frying it. I don't see the benefit to frying the chicken.

Ingredients:

2 Whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (Trimmed & Pounded Flat - 1/4" Thick)

1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour

Salt and Pepper (To Taste)

1/2 Cups Olive Oil

2 tbsp Butter (I eliminated the butter)

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

3/4 Cups Red Wine

3 Cans Crushed Tomatoes

2 Tablespoons Sugar (I used Splenda)

1/4 Cup Chopped Parsley

1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese (I used low-fat Mozzarella to save on calories)

1 Pound Thin Linguine (I used a small hand full of whole grain spaghetti instead).

Directions:

Mix flour, salt and pepper together in a large plate.

Dredge flattened chicken breasts in flour mixture, set aside.

Heat olive oil and butter (if using) in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted and oil is hot, fry chicken breasts until nice and golden brown on each side - about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Remove chicken breasts from the skillet - set aside and keep warm.

Without cleaning the skillet, add onions and garlic and gently stir for two minutes. Pour in wine and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting all the flavorful bits on the bottom. Allow wine to cook down until reduced by half, about two minutes.

Pour in crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add sugar (or Splenda) and more salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.

Prepare pot of water for your pasta. Cook pasta until al dente.

Toward the end of its cooking time, add chopped parsley to sauce and give it a final stir.

Carefully lay chicken breasts on top of the sauce and completely cover them in grated Parmesan cheese. Place lid on skillet and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer until cheese is melted and chicken is thoroughly heated.

To plate: Place cooked noodles on a plate and cover with sauce. Place chicken breast on top and sprinkle with parsley.

Nutritional Information (Approximately For One Cup of Spaghetti, 1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce, 1/2 Chicken Breast)

Total Calories: 442 cal

Total Fat: 10 g

Total Carbs: 48 g

Total Protein: 41.7 g