Lightened Up Healthier Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Chicken parmesan is always a crowd favorite, but sometimes I want a dinner that’s a little lighter. This lightened up healthier chicken parm recipe is so simple and the flavor is delicious.

In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that you won’t even miss the mounds of mozzarella, piles of pasta or the sauce. Even though we have a traditional chicken parmesan recipe that is fantastic, I think we prefer this healthier version. I love how light and fresh it tastes and the chicken is crazy moist. It’s nice to have a meal where you can still eat great tasting food without feeling weighed down and completely stuffed afterwards. I think everyone should make this parmesan chicken!

What is Parmesan Chicken?

Parmesan chicken (or chicken Parmesan or chicken Parmigiana) is a dish that consists of breaded chicken breast covered in tomato sauce and mozzarella, parmesan, or provolone cheese. Parmesan chicken originated in Italy. We are sort of breaking all the rules with this lightened up version except for the breaded chicken part, but it’s so dang good!

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Slow cooker corned beef brisket is so good, you’ll be making it far more often than once a year.

Is there anything better than coming home to the smell of a meal that’s simmering in the crock-pot? Making corned beef in the slow cooker is so easy it practically makes itself.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef Brisket

Perfectly moist, sliceable or shreddable, slow cooker corned beef brisket is possible with just a few minutes of effort. All you have to do is place the corned beef in the crockpot, sprinkle it with seasonings and add a bit of water.

Then, just turn on the crockpot and wait. Cooking at low temperature for 8 hours yields the most tender, pull-apart forkfuls of corned beef you could hope for.

It’s great in this recipe, and you’ll find a use for the leftovers in many others.

Not sure how to cook corned beef in the slow cooker? There’s no reason to be intimidated. Cooking corned beef brisket doesn’t get any simpler than this crock-pot method!

The tender texture and meaty flavor of corned beef was always a treat for us as kids and it still feels like a special meal to me.

We like to eat our corned beef with Colcannon or roasted potatoes. If you’re lucky enough to have leftover corned beef, you’ll want to set some aside for a classic Reuben sandwich. <

Cowboy Caviar Recipe

This cowboy caviar recipe is a delicious dip packed with beans, avocados, corn and loads of more southwestern flavors! A perfect side or appetizer. It comes from my Dad’s side of the family, but I think each family has their own version. I happen to love ours. 

I love that you get that creamy coolness from the avocados with some crunch from the peppers. I love the sweet and the little hint of spicy… mmmmm so yummy. And, it’s easy which is great for when you want something really tasty but you don’t have a lot of time to put something super fancy together. It’s just simple and delicious. Just how it should be.

This recipe is perfect for a potluck or family gathering. I wish I would have thought to bring on our last Deer Valley adventure. As you already know, we are a die hard Deer Valley family. We absolutely love visiting and we are begging our readers to go too, which is paying off because so many of you have emailed (keep them coming!!) about your trip to Deer Valley. 

Deer Valley

We went up a few weekends ago and oh my goodness it was fun! I know it’s ch

February 4, 2023

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! It’s supposed to be a nice clear day here in Ohio and I’m headed out for a drive with my middle son in the driver’s seat – wish me luck. I need a service that will teach the kids to drive from day one, this just-getting-started bit is not for the faint of heart.

ON THE BLOG this week: It’s Saturday morning, so there’s no better time to remind you of this creamy, rich, peanut butter syrup. It makes a fantastic topping for your favorite stack of homemade pancakes or waffles. It will be pure heaven over a stack of banana nut pancakes or fluffy chocolate chip pancakes.

Creamy, buttery, cheesy potatoes with bacon are combined in this Loaded Baked Potato Dip to create a snack that is a guaranteed win for your football party. Everyone knows that potatoes and sour cream go together like football and snacks.

Another hit for game day, this slow cooker spinach artichoke dip explodes with flavor. Artichokes + spinach are a classic pairing for a reason. And, you will not believe how easy it is to make spinach artichoke dip in your crockpot.

With no advance planning required, these pan-seared Italian chicken thighs require just a few minutes of work in the kitchen. This recipe is a great one for using dried spices; as the chicken slowly cooks, it will absorb all of those great flavors. There is no need to marinate the meat, simply sprinkle each thigh with seasonings and drop it in the pan.

Made with ground beef, rice, and all the traditional flavors of cabbage rolls this fragrant cabbage roll soup is as cozy as it gets. It doesn’t get much better than a simmering pot of soup on a cold day.

Lightly spiced pear bread is a slightly sweet, fragrantly sweet snack that is great on its own or alongside a seasonal bowl of soup or salad.

Homemade peppermint ice cream is some of the creamiest ice cream I have ever made and for the record, it is worlds away from the mint-flavored ice creams you can find in a store.

What I’m CRAVING: This creamy tortellini soup caught my eye this week. I need to pick up some tortellini asap, so that we can make it. Paired with some of this Read more

Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream is some of the creamiest ice cream I have ever made and for the record, it is worlds away from the mint-flavored ice creams you can find in a store.

Pure peppermint deliciousness from start to finish without even a hint of a chemical or mass-produced flavor.

Peppermint Ice Cream is surprisingly light, sweet, and minty. I think I dipped a spoon into the freezer container about 15 times the first time I made this and I’m not even a huge fan of peppermint!

This is a spectacular combination of winter flavors and summer refreshment. I’ve been making this ice cream year-round for over ten years now.

Peppermint Ice Cream

I’m trying, I really am, but there aren’t even words to describe how fantastic this ice cream is. It’s incredibly creamy and loaded with peppermint candy cane flavor.

If you hang out with me on Instagram, you may remember that this ice cream blew my mind the first time I made it. I’m still so impressed with this ice cream, I’ve made countless batches just to share my excitement with friends.

The most popular question I get is whether it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is YES. You can make ice cream without a machine. Find the full directions here!

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