Eggplant Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant diced into small cubes
• 2 cups Rao’s marinara sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and thyme
• 4 roughly 6 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup King Pork panko or panko of choice
• 4-6 oz of thinly sliced mozzarella
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 2 cups spinach

Making the Eggplant Parmesan

1. Eggplant: Peel and dice one small eggplant into 1/4-inch cubes.
2. Marinara: Use good-quality marinara *I like Rao’s
3. Salt and thyme to season the chicken four small boneless, skinless 4-6 oz chicken breasts
4. Egg: Beat one whole egg
5. Panko: Use Pork King Good or your choice of panko
6. Cheese: Thinly slice six ounces of fresh mozzarella
7. Basil: Chop fresh basil. Yes, fresh is best
8. Spinach: Add spinach (more is always better)

Making the Chicken Eggplant Parmesan

1. Prep the Chicken: Pound the chicken to even thickness and season with salt and thyme.
2. Dredge the Chicken: Put the panko and egg in large shallow bowls. Dip the chicken in the egg, letting the excess drip off. Next, dip it into the breadcrumbs.
3. Eggplant Marinara: Meanwhile, heat the tomato sauce over medium heat in a large deep skillet. Once it simmers, add the eggplant, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until it’s soft. Add in spinach.
4. Preheat the oven to 450°F, and spray a large baking sheet with EVOO.
5. Place the breaded chicken on the pan and lightly spray it with EVOO or coconut oil
6. Bake for 20 minutes and remove it from the oven.
7. Spoon some sauce and cheese over each piece and bake for 5-7 more minutes to melt the mozzarella. Add extra spinach, garlic, and rosemary to the top

Per slice: 460 kcal | 45 g of protein | 25 g of carbs | 20 g of fat