Trying to decide between plant-based eggplant or hearty chicken parmesan for dinner? Why not have both! This super-easy eggplant chicken parmesan provides that satisfying crunch along with a tender juicy eggplant “steak”, topped with the saucy melted cheesy goodness that everyone loves. So you get the plant-based goodness PLUS the chicken-y, cheesy, saucilicious flavors all together in every bite.
This recipe happened one day as I was digging around in the freezer, trying to clean out some of the previous madness to get ready for this year’s harvest. I found some roasted eggplant I had frozen along with chicken nuggets my kids no longer wanted and suddenly the idea of Eggplant CHICKEN Parmesan just sprung into my mind. Because:
- Eggplant Parmesan – the amazing cunchy, cheesy, saucy dish that even eggplant haters seem to love (and a personal life-changer for me)
- Chicken Parmesan – well, how can you go wrong with crunchy juicy chicken, a nice marinara and melty cheese?
I’m not a fan of chicken nuggets in general, but my kids are! So, in an effort to get dinner on the table that my picky kids would eat (earlier in life) and then later in their young lives, to get them to be more self-sufficient in their own meal preparation, I have purchased many packages of store-bought chicken nuggets. Earlier on, they weren’t too fussy, but now as adults, their taste buds are getting more refined. Which means chicken nuggets that were acceptable at the time of purchase will no longer get eaten. Much as I’m NOT a chicken nugget fan, I hate letting anything go to waste, so I try to find creative ways to use these chicken nuggets so I don’t have to throw them in the trash (because you can’t really donate or pass off an opened bag of nuggets to a food pantry or unsuspecting neighbor).
I am guessing right now that some of you at this point are judging me for pampering my kids. The problem is I am super picky about what I eat. I have this mentality of “if it doesn’t bring me joy to eat it, why should I waste the calories on it?” … I always try to keep nutrition in mind, too, so I’m getting all the things my body needs … but I am small and of the age where your body starts to slow down, so I need hardly any calories. I’m not going to waste my precious daily calories eating sub-par food.
So my kids have learned some of their picky behavior from me. I know, I’m guilty, but overall I think I’ve done a fairly decent job of mom-ing. It’s not been an easy ride, but I don’t think any mom is given an easy ticket. We all do the best we can with what we’re given and what we know at the time.
But I digress … let’s talk about food! This dish is something I invented just for me. Because I love a little crunch, I love the buttery, juicy flavor and texture of eggplant, and how can you go wrong adding chicken along with Italian tomato sauce, cheese and fresh herbs? This is all of those things, together, in one. You can make this for one person (like I did) or for as many as you like. If you’re making it for lots of people, you might want to put the eggplant chicken parmesan on a large baking sheet and broil to melt the cheese instead of microwaving each plate.
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Easy Eggplant Chicken Parmesan
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 40 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
The satisfying crunch, melty cheesy goodness and enticing Italian flavors of chicken AND eggplant parmesan in one super easy recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 medium globe eggplant (or other eggplant with larger diameter)
- Olive oil
- Breaded chicken nuggets or chicken patties (homemade or store bought)
- Marinara sauce (homemade or store bought)
- Shredded Italian blend of cheeses
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or spray with cooking spray.
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel the eggplant, slice into 1/2 – 3/4 inch slices, then brush both sides of each slice with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set on the prepared baking sheet and put in the oven to bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until the eggplant is tender.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chicken so it is done at about the same time as the eggplant. While the eggplant and chicken are baking, warm the marinara sauce.
- For each serving: set a slice or two of eggplant on a microwave-safe plate. Cover each slice with sauce then top with the crunchy cooked chicken and shredded cheese on top, to your liking.
- Microwave each plate on high for 2 – 4 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted (or bake/broil in the oven if you have many servings to prepare). Top with fresh chopped basil leaves and enjoy! Save any extra eggplant for future meals.
Notes
If cooking for more than one or two, you can melt the cheese in the oven. Put the eggplant back on the baking sheet, top with sauce, then chicken, then cheese. Back in the oven until the cheese is good and melty. Set under the broiler for just a few minutes if you want to brown the tops a little.
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Keywords: Italian, Chicken, Eggplant, Parmesan, Marinara
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