Grilled Parmesan Chicken tastes just as heavenly and comforting as traditional chicken parm, but without the breadcrumbs, calories, or effort. This easy, healthy, gluten free recipe includes grilled polenta rounds for a whole meal in one!
healthy chicken parmesan with grilled polenta
Grilled chicken parmesan recipe is a healthier and effortless take on the complicated comfort food dish. It combines the simplicity of pesto chicken with low carb gluten free parmesan chicken recipe for a weeknight hit!
There are no bread crumbs or messy frying, like gluten-free eggplant parmesan, which saves you time. Simply marinate in ready-made pesto, throw on the grill, and top with ooey gooey mozzarella. For a tasty summer side, that also doesn’t require turning on your oven, slice polenta, brush on pesto, and grill alongside the chicken breasts.
ingredient notes
While the prep for the meal is easy, feel free to oomph the flavor by using homemade pesto or marinara. For a quick and easy weeknight meal, though, simply pick up some chicken, marinara, pesto, mozzarella, pasta or polenta from the store and you’ll be ready to go!
Chicken – Pounding the chicken slightly evens out the thickness so they cook quickly and uniformly. If the chicken breasts are very large, you may want to slice them down the middle to make smaller portions.
Pesto – To keep the recipe very simple, I use store-bought pesto, but you may also make homemade as well.
Polenta – Ready made polenta is sold in a tube by the pasta. Chill the tube before slicing so the rounds hold their shape as they grill.
Marinara – Use quick homemade marinara or store-bought to save time.
Cheese – I love, love, love using fresh mozzarella, but grated or sliced block mozzarella may also be used. Adding a combination of mozzarella and parmesan also tastes great!
How to Make Grilled Parmesan Chicken
This chicken parm recipe takes out the complicated steps and mess, but leaves in the flavor. A pesto marinade flavors both the polenta and chicken. Throw both on the grill, serve with a salad or vegetable, and dinner is done!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
- First pound your chicken breasts slightly so they are about 1 inch thick. This is helps them cook quickly and uniformly.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then spread pesto on both sides of the chicken and polenta.
- Grill the chicken and polenta for 5 minutes, flip, and cook for 3-5 minutes more.
- Remove the chicken to a foil lined baking sheet and the polenta to another plate to keep warm. Top the chicken with marinara, sliced mozzarella, and slide the foil onto the grill. Close the cover for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
best cooks Tips and tricks
- Pounding the chicken slightly evens out the thickness so they cook quickly and uniformly.
- For added flavor, marinate the chicken for at least one hour before grilling.
- Chilling the polenta before slicing and grilling helps it stay together during cooking.
- The secret to all good grilling is flipping minimally. Once the first side is charred and releases easily, it’s ready to finish cooking on the other side.
- Don’t force flipping the polenta before it’s ready, meaning the cooked side is set and releases from the grill.
- The marinara and cheese may be placed while the chicken finishes cooking on the grill, but I find it easier and less risky to remove it and assemble on a large piece of foil. Then, simply slide the foil onto the grill.
More gluten-free side dish recipes
Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Skillet -A quick, one pan chicken skillet recipe with bold rich flavors like sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic and artichokes in a parmesan cream sauce.
Oven Baked Chicken Cacciatore Dump chicken thighs, peppers, onions, and tomatoes in a baking dish and forget about it while your oven does all the work!
Italian Meatloaf – This easy weeknight recipe combines ground beef, parmesan, seasonings, and bread crumbs, all smothered in marinara sauce, and cooked in the crock pot.
Gluten Free Gnocchi – Only handful of ingredients – ricotta, gluten free flour, egg, and a little parmesan cheese – makes the best from scratch, authentic-tasting recipe ever!
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Grilled Parmesan Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, pounded evenly to 1 inch thick
- salt and pepper
- 6 tablespoons pesto, divided
- 1 pound tube polenta, chilled and sliced in ½" rounds
- ½ cup marinara
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
- (optional) fresh basil, parmesan, crushed red pepper for serving
Instructions
- Pound the chicken breasts evenly to about one inch thickness. This will allow them to cook evenly and decrease the grilling time. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and liberally season with salt and pepper.
- Spread 1 tablespoon pesto on each side of the chicken breasts. Preheat the grill to medium heat and refrigerate the chicken while it is preheating.
- Meanwhile, place the sliced polenta rounds on a separate baking sheet. Spread 2 tablespoons pesto both sides of polenta. Set aside until the chicken is ready to be grilled.
- Place the polenta rounds on one side of the grill to cook. Add the seasoned chicken to other side of the grill. Cook both the polenta and chicken, with the cover closed, for 5 minutes. Flip both chicken and polenta rounds. TIP: You'll know the chicken and polenta are ready to be flipped if it releases easily from the grill. Cook the chicken for another 3-5 minutes on other side (or until reaches 165ºF), and the polenta for 5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken to a clean baking sheet lined with heavy-duty foil. Keep the polenta warm by moving it to the top grill grate or transferring it to a foil-covered plate.
- Divide the marinara over the grilled chicken breasts. Lay fresh mozzarella slices on top of marinara. Slide the foil onto the grill, close the cover, and cook for another 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve with grilled polenta rounds and garnish with fresh basil, parmesan, and/or crushed red pepper.
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Recipe Notes
- Pounding the chicken slightly evens out the thickness so they cook quickly and uniformly.
- For added flavor, marinate the chicken for at least one hour before grilling.
- Chilling the polenta before slicing and grilling helps it stay together during cooking.
- The secret to all good grilling is flipping minimally. Once the first side is charred and releases easily, it’s ready to finish cooking on the other side.
- Don’t force flipping the polenta before it’s ready, meaning the cooked side is set and releases from the grill.
- The marinara and cheese may be placed while the chicken finishes cooking on the grill, but I find it easier and less risky to remove it and assemble on a large piece of foil. Then, simply slide the foil onto the grill.
Nutrition
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