Quinoa Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

  • 2 (8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup low-sodium marinara sauce
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with coconut oil.
  2. Cut each chicken breast in half on the diagonal to get 4 roughly equal portions. Place between pieces of plastic wrap and pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet or heavy saucepan to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
  3. Lightly beat egg in a shallow dish. Combine quinoa, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in a separate shallow dish. Dip the chicken in egg, shaking off any excess, then in the quinoa, pressing to help it stick.
  4. Heat 1-tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 chicken breasts and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining 1-tablespoon oil and 2 chicken breasts. Top each breast with ¼ cup marinara, 2 tablespoons mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmesan.
  5. Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbling, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve topped with basil.
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