This delicious easy baked chicken parm recipe is sponsored by Barilla & Walmart: It’s Better for You.?

As a mom and a runner, I am super familiar with the love of pasta. I mean, carbo-loading rocks.

My roommates at Disneyland races know about my top secret (not really, it’s Marri’s) Italian food restaurant?with the bomb.com of chicken parm.

Hey man, if I’m about to run 13.1 miles, you can bet I’m getting my parm on!

My love of?Italian food isn’t limited to my racing adventures. We cook it at home, too.

Like a lot of moms out there, pasta is a staple side dish in my home.

We embraced it early when our children started eating solid foods, and it certainly stuck around.

My oldest son would only eat beige foods (I’m not kidding- it was a weird quirk of his), so we tried all kinds of pasta?to fill him up. Crazy kid.

Since I cook it for the family a lot, I love the Barilla Better for You products.

They even have a gluten-free pasta that was recently named one of Parents Magazine?s ?Top 25 Allergy Free Foods.?

With proper serving sizes, you can’t go wrong with a side of pasta for your favorite dish, like baked chicken parm.

Let’s talk about serving size.

It’s a problem in this country. Every time we go out to eat we end up with multiple to-go boxes.

Of course, I love leftovers.

But it’s just a lot of food on our plates, and not everyone manages to take half home for later.

When talking about pasta, for example, we try to keep an eye on the serving size.

A single portion is regarded as 2oz of cooked pasta for a side dish, and it can be 3 to 4oz if it’s your main course.

Barilla is a favorite brand because it’s super delicious and super wholesome.

The Whole Grain Pasta products are excellent sources of fiber and made with 100% whole wheat.

There are 56 grams of whole grain in each serving. Wowza!

There are a lot of recipes out there featuring Barilla pasta (check them out on Pinterest), but chicken parm has my heart.

Here’s a twist on the traditional dish: baked (not fried) chicken parm.

Easy Baked Chicken Parm

INGREDIENTS

• chicken breasts or chicken cutlets
• 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan?cheese
• 2 TBS butter
• mozzarella cheese
• Barilla?Marinara
• Barilla Whole Grain Pasta
• fresh parsley

Start by preparing the chicken breasts. Slice them in half and use a meat mallet to pound them flat (watch the video above to see how). This is a nice way to watch portion size that your kids won’t even notice!

Flat chicken looks like more chicken to the untrained eye.

Mix the Italian seasoning breadcrumbs together with the parmesan cheese.

Dip the chicken breasts into the butter and then use the breadcrumb mixture to coat the cutlet.

Be sure to get both sides!

Place the chicken on a coated baking sheet.

Put in the oven at 450 for 25 minutes.

Take out of the oven and spoon a tablespoon of Barilla Marinara on each cutlet.

Don’t add too much or your chicken becomes mushy and messy.

Top with mozzarella cheese and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.

Garnish with parsley; serve with your favorite Barilla whole grain pasta and enjoy!

You can pick up Barilla at Walmart- of course. (Let’s be honest, moms, you know you are going there anyway!)

Be sure to download the Ibotta app if you haven’t already and start earning cash back rebates when you buy Barilla at Walmart.

Is Chicken Parm a fave of yours? What side dishes do you like to add?

Patty

Patty Holliday is a Marvel loving, Disney obsessed wife, and mother of four. She’s a travel agent specializing in Disney & Universal vacations- and loves a candid confession. Find her in Virginia (or anywhere frequent flyer miles or her trusty minivan takes her.)

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PattyHolliday