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Enjoy your chicken Parmesan without a side order of guilt

It's not a strict diet dish, but this version of the Italian favorite cuts out a lot of the fat.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published January 3, 2007

Almost by definition, Parmesan dishes - as in eggplant Parmesan or chicken Parmesan - are fat bombs.

That's because nearly every step of the recipe seems designed to infuse the meal with as much fat as possible. Coat the eggplant or chicken in egg. Bread it. Fry it. Drown it in oil-laden sauce. Then, of course, top it with loads of cheese.

No wonder it tastes so good.

But surely there's a way to enjoy these classics without all the fat. But enjoy is the key. Plenty of light versions either shortchange the cheese or substitute it with anemic fat-free versions.

Which is why Cooking Light's version in the magazine's recent Cooking Light Italian (Oxmoor House, 2006, $17.95) is such a winner. This recipe cut the fat by using an egg white instead of a whole egg, as well as fat-free sauce.

Those savings, as well as cutting down on the amount of fat used to fry, mean real cheese can be used elsewhere (Parmesan in the breading and provolone over the top). And that makes all the difference.

Herbed Chicken Parmesan

1 1/3 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1 pound chicken breast tenders

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups bottled fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup shredded provolone cheese

- Preheat the broiler.

- In a shallow dish, combine 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan with the bread crumbs, parsley, basil and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Place the egg white in a second shallow dish.

- Dip each chicken tender in the egg white, then dredge through the bread-crumb mixture.

- In a large, nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chicken and cook 3 minutes per side, or until done. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the remaining salt with the pasta sauce, vinegar and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving one side loose to vent. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.

- Pour the sauce over the chicken in the pan. Sprinkle evenly with provolone and remaining Parmesan. Broil 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional information per serving: 308 calories, 10g total fat, 88mg cholesterol, 808mg sodium, 36g protein, 16g carbohydrate, 2g dietary fiber

Source: Cooking Light magazine's Cooking Light Italian, (Oxmoor House, 2006, $17.95).

[Last modified January 2, 2007, 14:52:36]