Take your chicken meal prep up a notch with a Healthy Quinoa Chicken Parmesan! This high protein dinner recipe is not just easy to make but it’s super filling and packed with parm flavor.
Start this one out by preparing your quinoa. We’re making ours on the stovetop today but if you’ve got a microwavable pack then you can do that now.
Stovetop Quinoa
To make your quinoa on the stovetop you’ll need to take out a stovetop pan. The size of your pan will depend on how much you’re making (medium size for me).
Add into your pan 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water. If you’re scaling this recipe to make more or less servings you can see how much you’ll need in the recipe card below.
Bring your pan over to the stovetop and turn your burner on high heat until it starts to boil. This should take a couple minutes.
Once boiling, drop your heat to low and let it simmer for around 15-20 minutes or until all of your water has been absorbed by your quinoa.
Chicken Parmesan Sauce
Take out a large stovetop pan, turn your burner on medium heat, and add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil into your pan.
Once your pan heats up add in 3 cloves of chopped garlic or 1 1/2 teaspoons of minced garlic and 1 medium chopped up red onion. Let those cook while occasionally stirring them for a couple minutes or until they start to brown.
Drop your heat to low-medium and mix in 1 can of no salt added diced tomatoes, 1 can of tomato sauce, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of lemon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of basil, 1/2 teaspoon of parsley, your cooked quinoa, and 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast chopped into small pieces.
When buying your ingredients make sure to look for lower sodium alternatives if you want to lower the sodium in this recipe.
Remember to keep stirring your sauce as you make it so that it doesn’t burn!
However big or small you want your chicken pieces to be is completely up to you. Keep in mind that if you make them big it may take longer for this healthy quinoa chicken parmesan to cook.
Let that chicken parmesan sauce simmer for 5 minutes.
Pro tip? All of the weights for the ingredients in this are in the recipe card below.
Last before the oven, coat a baking dish with some non-stick cooking spray and pour 1/2 the sauce you just made into the bottom of it.
On top of your sauce evenly distribute 1/2 serving of whole wheat bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of fat free mozzarella cheese, a little bit of parsley, and 1/4 cup of parmesan grated cheese.
Add in the rest of your mix and repeat with your bread crumbs, mozzarella, parsley, and parmesan.
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Cover your baking dish with aluminum foil and put your baking dish into the oven on 375F/190C for 15 minutes.
Remove your foil after 15 minutes and continue cooking on 375F/190C for 15 minutes.
You can easily change this recipe up by adding in whatever toppings, vegetables, herbs, or anything else you want! Let us know some of your favorite combinations in the comments below.
Ready for dessert? How about some Protein Pumpkin Pie!?
Healthy Quinoa Chicken Parmesan
What We Used
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ Pounds Chicken Breast
- 1 Cup Quinoa
- 16 Ounces Water
- 1 Medium Red Onion
- 3 Cloves Garlic - 1 ½ Teaspoons Minced Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Can Diced Tomatoes - 14.5 Ounces No Salt Added
- 1 Can Tomato Sauce - 15 Ounces
- ¼ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon Lemon Pepper
- ½ Teaspoon Oregano
- ½ Teaspoon Basil
- ½ Teaspoon Parsley
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese - Fat Free or Reduced Fat
- ⅓ Cup Bread Crumbs - Whole Wheat
- ½ Cup Parmesan & Romano Cheese - Grated
Instructions
- Add your Quinoa and Water into stovetop pan
- Bring the Quinoa to a boil
- Turn your burn to Low heat
- Let it simmer until all of your Water is absorbed
- Remove it from the heat
- Chop up your Red Onion and Garlic
- Take out another stovetop pan, turn your burner on Medium heat, and add in your Olive Oil
- Let the Olive Oil heat up
- Add in your Red Onion and Garlic
- Once those start to brown, turn your burner on Low-Medium heat
- Add in your Diced Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce, Crushed Red Pepper, Lemon Pepper, Oregano, Basil, Parsley, Quinoa, and Chicken
- Let that simmer for 5 minutes
- Take out a baking dish and coat it with non-stick cooking spray
- Add in half of your mix
- Top that with ½ your Bread Crumbs, Mozzarella, and Parmesan
- Add in the rest of your mix
- Top again with the same ingredients and anything else you want
- Cover with foil and cook on 375F/190F for 15 minutes
- Remove foil and cook for another 15 minutes
Video
Notes
- Calories: 2256
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Sodium: 4906mg
- Carbs: 213g
- Fiber: 27g
- Sugar: 26g
- Protein: 279g
Nutrition
38 Comments
Leave a Comment
I think this is your best chicken Parmesan recipe man! Making for a second time this week! You’re the man!
Made this last night and all I have to say is Amazing!!!!!!!
Gonna make this tomorrow for dinner! I can’t wait, it looks delicious! 🙂
Great recipe. It has quickly become a staple dinner in my house. Wife and kids love it. When I’m working and can’t make dinner, I will make the recipe up to the point of putting in the oven. So, then all the kids or wife have to do when they get home it put it in the oven.
It’s going to be a year that I’ve had Bariartic surgery & it’s still tough trying to find healthy food recipes. My hubby Bobby can’t stand anymore of my plain chicken recipes. It was a great discovery finding your channel on youtube.com. I love all of your recipes, I do have to sub some of the ingredients to fit my Bariartic diet, but you inspire me to stay on my healthy track. Thank you for all your videos & recipes. #iluvtheproteinchef
Cindy! Thank you so much for the kind words. Keep up the drive and most of all the positive mindset! Let me know if you ever have any questions 🙂
Hi Derek,
I’ve just found your site, and this recipe sounds wonderfully. I’ve recently had gastric bypass, and the Dr said no bread including bread crumbs. Any ideas of what I can replace them with that will give the same consistency? Your recipes look amazing, can’t wait to try them. Thank you
I don’t know exactly why your doctor’s recommending against bread crumbs because I’m not super familiar with post bariatric surgery requirements.
But if it’s similar to diabetic recommendations, then the reason is to minimize carbs.
A great substitute I’ve found for my diabetic husband is to mix equal amounts of ground flax seeds and almond flour with a little bit of Italian herbs. Then you can also optionally add some Parmesan cheese.
If you want to use the bread crumbs for a crunchy topping, then just wet them down with a little bit of water, enough that they barely stick together.
I hope that helps, and best of luck with your post bariatric journey! You found a really great source here
Great tips Joan!
I ate this for dinner every night last week and didn’t get sick of it. Best recipe i’ve found in a while. Keep it up man!
Thanks Reece!
Made this a few days ago! It was so delicious! Chicken chili is in the crockpot now. Yum yum keep the recipes coming. I couldn’t find any but I have a weakness for macadamia white chocolate cookies…. if you are looking for request ;).
Thanks Derek for this recipe! I have some quinoa nearing expiry date. This is timely. With so many positive comments and tips I must try this recipe. So high in protein too, wow!
I hope you like it Jennifer! 🙂
Hey Derek, these were on my week 1 meal plan. They came out great! This recipe is going in the keeper pile. I have made 4-5 of the recipes you have here, all but one came out really good. Thanks man!
Just made chicken Parma, it was so delicious, and I prepped pineapple chicken in the fridge to cook tomorrow! Thanks for get me excited about reaching my goals in 2014. My BBQ broke down and your vids saved my diet!
Love that Brenna! Keep it up. Thanks for the awesome comment
Hey Derek,
the first batch was great!
on the second batch i added 1/2 Teaspoon of salt and it is f’#king delicious!!
best regards from germany!
Love it! Cheers my friend. Thanks for the comment
hi derek
i was wondering about the nutritional info. that is a lot of protein. the major contributors are the chicken and quinoa correct? there is only 1.5lbs of chicken, so where is all that protein coming from. loving your videos, and you are totally cute. thanks.
Hi! The cheese is also a fairly big factor as well. Thank you! I appreciate that 🙂
This is a great website! I am going to try this recipe, looks great. I love that you add videos and nutrition facts as well. I will be browsing this website more often. 🙂 Plus a healthy man that cooks is a big plus! lol.
Thank you! I hope you like it. Really appreciate it. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
Hi Derek,
I found your site while looking for protein bar recipes. I enjoyed the one you posted very much. so I am looking forward to this chicken parm recipes as it is one of my favorite dishes. Thank you and I will be looking forward to trying many more so please keep them coming. 🙂
Hi Derek,
Stumbled across your website looking for alternative recipes to plain steamed chicken and brown rice, which I was getting sick of. Just made a batch of this chicken parma and WOW is all I can say, so many flavours super filling and healthy at the same time. Thankyou for this, I’ll be sure to try many of your other recipes!
To you use already cooked chicken or raw? Thanks
Hi Jes! Raw chicken. 🙂
This was wonderful. We made our second batch today. My husband and I are really enjoying your site.
Ooo can’t wait to try this. Doesn’t look too expensive either
Thanks for the comment Michael! It’s definitely not too expensive ($5-6 maybe?). Let me know how you like it!
Yea, it’s great. I wanted to eat the whole pan. I added extra garlic and crushed red pepper (personal preference). Thanks again Derek.
Love that. Good to hear. You’re welcome! Thanks for all the comments