I bet there’s not a person anywhere who doesn’t like Chicken Parmesan. Chicken, gooey cheese, tomato sauce, and a crunchy crust. Right? It’s an amazing classic dish.
However, sometimes it can be a bit heavy and maybe you don’t feel like heating up the kitchen. The solution? This grilled chicken version that starts with a tasty lemon marinade.
Read more about Grilled Chicken Parmesan below or click here to head straight to the recipe.
What Is Chicken Parmesan?
Chicken Parmesan is a classic Italian-American dish that is usually made with breaded chicken, tomato sauce, and plenty of melty cheese. It’s often served over pasta or with fresh bread.
However, there’s so many variations you can do with the same basic ingredients. So many in fact, that I eventually created a whole category dedicated to Chicken Parmesan recipes. There’s a classic version, a baked pasta version, and so much more.
Grilled Chicken Parmesan For Summer
Well, we wanted to do a grilled summery take on this classic dish, but how could I adapt it to a lighter version?
We start with chicken breasts that are pounded to an even thickness. Then they get marinated in an olive oil and lemon juice mixture while you make the toasted breadcrumb topping.
You put the chicken on the grill for a few minutes then flip them over. Top with tomato slices, cheese, and some crunchy breadcrumbs. It’s so good and easy to make, without being so heavy with breaded chicken and tomato sauce, making this Grilled Chicken Parmesan perfect for a summer meal.
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Grilled Chicken Parmesan in Lemon Marinade
Here’s a refreshing take on the classic chicken Parmesan. The chicken in marinaded in lemon and then grilled topped with tomato slices and cheese. The breadcrumb topping is killer on top.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs. total)
- ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup finely shredded (not grated) Parmesan cheese
- Salt
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- coarse black pepper
- 1 large tomato, sliced into 8 slices
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8–12 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Flatten the chicken breasts: Put one breast into a large zip-top bag but keep it unzipped. Use a flat mallet or heavy rolling pin to hit the chicken breast at the thickest part. Continue to do so, moving around a bit, until the chicken is of an even thickness of approximately ¾-inch. Remove chicken from bag and repeat one at a time with remaining breasts.
- Measure ¼ cup of olive oil and the lemon juice into a baking dish. Add the flattened chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- Into a small skillet measure the panko, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder. Put over medium-low heat and stir frequently so that the Parmesan doesn’t clump up as it melts.
- Stir and cook until toasted to a golden crunchy brown, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer immediately to a large plate so that the crumbs stop cooking and cool. Set aside.
- Prepare the grill for direct cooking on medium-high heat.
- Drain the liquid off of the chicken breasts and discard. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Transfer breasts to prepared grill. Cover and cook until there are nice dark grill marks, 3-4 minutes. Flip the breasts over.
- Top each one with 2 slightly overlapping slices of tomato, ¼ cup of the shredded mozzarella and ¼ of the bread crumbs.
- Cover and cook just until breasts are cooked through and cheese is melted, 3-4 minutes longer. Transfer to serving plate and top each breast with 2-3 basil leaves.
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This post originally appeared in July 2016 and was revised and republished in March 2023.
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