Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 chicken breast

Calories: 243 • Total Fat: 6g • Total Carbohydrate: 14g (Fiber: 2g • Sugars: 1g) • Protein: 31g •    Vitamin B-6 (35%) • Vitamin B-12 (9%) • Niacin (66%) • Phosphorus (28%) • Selenium (32%) • Riboflavin (10%) • Pantothenic Acid (10%) • Magnesium (13%)

Nutritional Highlights

Low Calorie • Low Fat • Low Carb • Low Sugar • High Protein • Increases metabolism • Promotes Mood • Balances Digestion and Appetite

Living in Chicago, I have eaten far more of the classic deep-dish pizza then I care to admit. It doesn’t help that there are more than a dozen pizza places within a 1 mile radius of me serving the piping hot, casserole-like, monstrosity by the slice at any hour of the day. Since indulging in this Chicago classic made of a buttery, cornmeal crust, gobs of gooey cheese, and a perfectly stewed tomato sauce too often would send me to the doctor way more than I would ever like, I set out to create a healthy dish made with all the things I love about deep-dish pizza without sacrificing taste.

This recipe is mostly protein and fat with some carbohydrates from the cornmeal and tomato sauce. Eat it with a small salad to add some additional carbohydrates and make it balanced.

Deep dish pizza chicken

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 4 boneless, skinless thin-sliced chicken breast (4 oz each)
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 8 tbsp tomato sauce* (or 1 cup diced canned tomatoes, slightly drained)
• 4 tbsp shaved Parmesan cheese, divided

*Note: tomato sauce can be loaded with added sugar and sodium so look for varieties that have about 50 calories, less than 5g of sugar, and less than 500mg of sodium per 1/2 cup serving. (I use Whole Foods 365 brand Classic Marinara). Or skip the sauce all together and use 1 cup of low-sodium canned tomatoes, slightly drained, and divided into 1/4 cup per serving)

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Beat egg + egg white and pour into a small casserole dish.
3. Add cornmeal, basil, and oregano to a separate casserole dish and stir together until herbs are evenly incorporated.
4. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. One at a time, first dip chicken in egg then dip in cornmeal mixture. Place coating chicken on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and bake for 15-20 minutes. Turn oven to broil and broil chicken for additional 3-5 minutes or until cornmeal is golden.
5. Remove chicken from broiler, top each with 2 tbsp of tomato sauce (or 1/4 cup canned tomatoes) and 1 tbsp cheese. Place back under the broiler for 3 minutes or until cheese melts.

*Serve with a green salad or roasted vegetables such as broccoli or zucchini.