Healthy Garlic Parmesan Chicken

So this week I am reembarking on a quest to be healthier and make healthier choices at meal times. But I also know that my sweet husband will never go for lighter fare unless it's plenty flavorful and plenty filling. So when I cook healthy, I've got a big challenge ahead of me - especially when he is begging for something like crispy cheddar chicken, and I am wanting something that isn't bad for us! I made this a little nervously, knowing that if we didn't like it, we'd be eating sandwiches for dinner. Yet, when we sat down, said grace, and dug in, my response that it was good wasn't only one of relief, but it was also paired with a resounding "Mmmm!" from the both of us.

Because there is only two of us, I try to stretch out meat as far as it will go at dinner times. It's expensive! So for us I usually only cook two chicken breasts for dinner, but you could easily use this recipe with four. I used 1 large pan and a pair of tongs (I just think they're easier to use than spatulas), a gallon zip-lock bag, and a rolling pin (or some other stress relieving device).

Sorry about the blurry picture. I didn't realize it was blurry until I had thoroughly enjoyed my meal, so it was much too late to retake the photo! I'll try to get a better picture the next time I make this, because I am sure I'm going to end up making this a weekly staple!



Healthy Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts (butterflied* and flattened), salt and peppered and cut in half
1/4 cup of flour
3 T of light butter
1 T of minced garlic 
1 T of lemon (or more depending on how much you like lemon)
1 T of parmesan cheese
1 tsp sage
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 shake parsley
1 shake cilantro

*When I say butterflied, it's because I don't know what else to call it. With meat scissors, I cut through the chicken breast without cutting in it half, then over left and right. Essentially cutting the chicken breast like a shrimp. My goal is to aid the endeavor of flattening the chicken breasts.

On your stove-top, spray a large pan with cooking spray and set it on medium heat. In a gallon zip-lock bag place the chicken and zip it up, releasing all the air from the bag (you don't want to pop the bag when you flatten the chicken). Put flour in a plate.  Take a rolling pin and flatten the chicken until they're 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Cut each breast in half. Salt and pepper the chicken breast and coat them lightly in flour. Place them in the warmed pan, alternate cooking them on each side for four minutes until chicken is fully cooked (I'm a stickler about meat temperatures, and so I always use a meat thermometer. Chicken is fully cooked at 168 degrees, but I like to get it to at least 171 before I'm satisfied that it's done).

When chicken is fully cooked, remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan melt the butter. Add minced garlic (I used the kind from a jar), and saute with sage, poultry seasoning, parsley and cilantro for about thirty seconds. Add lemon and saute 30 more seconds. Using the tongs, place the chicken breasts one at a time back into the pan and coat them on both sides with the butter mixture. Once out of the pan sprinkle parmesan cheese over both sides of the chicken.

This chicken was so savory and delicious. The husband has a this tick where he thinks he needs to put either hot sauce or ranch dressing on everything. I'm pleased to say that he thinks that this needs neither. It stands all on it's own. This dish would be delicious also with some sauteed mushrooms and would be good with vegetables or pasta. Since we're trying to be healthy, we're going to stick with veggies. Thanks for reading!

Hope you enjoy and God bless!