Grilled Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Grilled Chicken Parmesan is a lighter and fresher alternative to the traditional dish, requiring minimal prep for an easy dinner.
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This easy recipe is made with grilled boneless chicken breasts topped with fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese. It’s a lighter version of chicken parmesan without breading or frying. It’s a great recipe to make in the summer and a fantastic dinner idea for an outdoor get-together.
🤍Why you will love this recipe
- This easy chicken parmesan recipe is ready quickly because you don’t need to bread and fry the chicken.
- It’s made with fresh, simple ingredients – a healthy alternative to traditional chicken parmesan that the whole family will love.
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This is an overview of the ingredients and steps to make this recipe, scroll down to see ingredient notes and substitutions as well as a printable recipe card with exact measurements and complete cooking instructions.
🛒Ingredients
- boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken cutlets
- fresh tomatoes
- fresh basil
- mozzarella cheese
- balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
- dried oregano
garlic
🥄Equipment
- outdoor grill
- meat thermometer
Here is How To Make Grilled Chicken Parmesan
Prepare the ingredients: Dice the tomatoes, crush the garlic chop the basil.
Step 1. Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl or jar.
Step 2. Place the boneless chicken pieces into a glass bowl, and pour the marinade over the top. Set the chicken aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat the grill at medium heat.
Step 3. Place the chopped tomatoes into a bowl with the crushed garlic and fresh basil.
Step 4. Mix all of the ingredients and set the bowl aside.
Step 5. Once the grill is hot (about 375 degrees), place chicken pieces on the grill and cook them for about 7 minutes until they become golden brown, and flip them over.
Grill chicken for 4 to 5 minutes longer until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Step 6. Use a spoon to top the chicken with the tomato basil mixture carefully.
Step 7. Add the mozzarella cheese; reduce the heat to low, cover the grill, and cook for a few minutes longer until the cheese melts.
Try an Instant Read Thermometer from Thermoworks for perfectly cooked meat!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Chicken Breasts. For chicken breasts, like thin sliced chicken cutlets becsue they cook fast.
You can buy chicken cutlets or you can make your own by slicing bonekess chicken breasts 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick or pound them with a meat mallet.
If you prefer your grilled chicken thicker, you may need to cook it for a few minutes longer.
Tomatoes. This recipe uses fresh diced plum tomatoes but any fresh tomato will work. They can be diced by knife or pureed in a food processor. If using a food processor, strain excess liquid from the tomatoes.
If fresh tomatoes are not available, they can be substituted with an equal amount of canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, or homemade marinara sauce.
Garlic. I use a garlic press to crush the garlic for this recipe. You can also chop it finely.
Substitute fresh garlic with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Mozzarella cheese. I use a cheese grater to shred fresh mozzarella, but it can also be thinly sliced.
Substitute provolone cheese or thin shaved parmesan cheese for mozzarella cheese.
Try this! To easily shred fresh mozzarella cheese, which is a soft cheese, place it in the freezer for at least an hour before you shred it.
Fresh basil. Adds a ton of flavor to this recipe, though it will not taste as fresh, you can substitute it with 1 teaspoon of dried basil.
Serving Suggestions
The best way to serve this chicken is on top of whole wheat or regular pasta and a side salad like our kale caesar salad, zucchini fritters, green beans with almonds or air fryer eggplant.
Grilled chicken Parmesan also tastes great over a bed of zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash for a low-carb chicken parmesan dinner.
How to make grilled chicken parm ahead of time
This recipe is easy recipe to make one or two days ahead of time. Here’s how:
Prepare the marinade, and marinate the chicken one to to days ahead in the refrigerator.
Combine the tomatoes, basil and garlic in a bowl; cover and store them in the refrigerator in a separate container. Shred the cheese and store it in a separate container.
When it’s time to cook, bring the chicken breasts to room temperature and follow the instructions in the recipe card.
Storing and Using Leftovers
Store leftover grilled chicken parmesan in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheat it in the oven or in a skillet on top of the stove.
Leftovers taste great as they are reheated or cold. This chicken recipe also tastes great on a ciabatta roll or crusty baguette or served in a leafy green salad.
Recipe Variations
Pesto Chicken Parmesan – Brush fresh pesto sauce on the chicken just before grilling it instead of marinating it.
Mexican Grilled Chicken Parmesan – Replace the fresh basil with fresh chopped cilantro and add chopped jalapeno peppers.
Spicy Parmesan – Add some red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning to the tomatoes.
💡Tips
- A grill topper will help to keep the tomatoes from falling through grates.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels before grilling which will help to achieve a nice sear.
- Cook with the grill lid closed which will help to maintain a consistent temperature.
- For a little bit of crunch, sprinkle the cooked chicken with a little bit of panko bread crumbs before adding the tomato and cheese topping.
Yes! This is a healthy chicken parmesan recipe. It’s not breaded and fried and loaded with cheese which is what makes classic chicken parmesan less healthy. When healthy ingredients are used, chicken parmesan can be a healthy choice and delicious choice!
Yes, you can! Grill the eggplant until it becomes soft and top it with tomatoes (it’s a good idea to use tomato slices on the eggplant which might be flimsy), chopped basil, a sprinkle of garlic powder, a drizzle of olive oil, and a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese.
Yes, this recipe can easily be made in a grill pan ontop of the stove. Brown the chicken on top of the stove in a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat for about until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165. Place the tomato and basil mixture on top of the chicken breasts and sprinkle on the cheese. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook until the mozzarella cheese has melted.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts 1/4 inch thick
- 2 cups diced tomatoes about 3 to 4 plum or medium tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 handful fresh basil
- 1/2 cup grated fresh mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: dice the tomatoes, crush the garlic and slice the basil. Preheat the grill at medium heat.
- Place 1 pound boneless chicken breasts into a glass bowl. Mix up the marinade ingredients ( 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and pour it over the chicken; marinate for 20 minutes or longer.
- Place the chopped tomatoes into a bowl along with the crushed garlic and fresh basil – combine.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and discard the marinade.
- Place the chicken breasts onto the heated grill and cook them for about 7 minutes and flip them over. If the chicken is sticking to the grill, let it cook for a minute or two longer and flip.
- Cook the chicken for 4 minutes longer or until internal temperature reaches 165.
- Top the chicken with tomatoes and sprinkle with cheese. Reduce the heat to low, and cover the grill. Cook the parmesan until the cheese has melted.
Stovetop Method- Preheat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet or grill pan over medium heat.
- Add the chicken and cook for 7 to 8 minutes and flip them over and cook until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165.
- Spoon the tomato mixture on top of the chicken breasts, and add the cheese.
- Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until the cheese has melted.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
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My kids just LOVED these!!! The youngest is so picky and will question most dinners but he ate a whole chicken fillet!!!
That is a winner for me!
And the tip about freezing the mozzarella for a while first! GENIUS!
Thanks Claire! I’m glad everyone enjoyed it!
Love this recipe!!! I serve it up with spaghetti squash and a green salad with mandarin orange vinaigrette
Thank you Sandy! And that salad dressing sounds good!