How Many Calories Are in Chicken Parmigiana? A Detailed Look

Chicken parmigiana, also known as chicken parmesan is a classic Italian-American dish that combines breaded and fried chicken cutlets tomato sauce, and melted cheese. It’s a crowd-pleasing recipe that’s easy to make at home, but many people wonder just how healthy this seemingly decadent dish actually is. Specifically, a common question is how many calories are in a typical serving of chicken parmigiana?

In this article, we’ll take a close look at the calorie count and overall nutrition information for chicken parmigiana. We’ll break down the calories by each component of the dish, and provide some tips for lightening it up. Read on to get the full scoop on the calorie content of this chicken favorite!

Calculating Calories in Chicken Parmigiana

To find out how many calories are in a serving of chicken parmigiana, we need to look at how many calories are in each of the following:

Breaded Chicken Cutlet

This is the base of the dish. The chicken cutlets are usually made from breast meat and are dredged in breadcrumbs. They are then fried in oil until golden brown and crispy. For a 4-ounce breaded chicken cutlet, expect approximately:

• 270 calories
• 15 g fat
• 15 g protein

Frying adds a significant amount of calories and fat. If you bake the cutlets instead, you’ll cut the calories by 50 to 80.

Tomato Sauce

A typical tomato sauce contains

• 60 calories
• 4 g carbs
• 3 g sugar
• 2 g protein

Tomato sauce doesn’t add many calories, but some sauces in a jar may have more sugar. Making your own fresh sauce keeps the calories down.

Mozzarella Cheese

Chicken parm isn’t complete without the ooey, gooey melted cheese on top! For 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella:

• 90 calories
• 6 g fat
• 7 g protein

Choose part-skim instead of full-fat cheese to reduce the calories. Grated Parmesan can also be used.

Serving Size

A typical chicken parmigiana serving is 4 ounces of chicken with about 1/4 cup each of sauce and cheese,

Based on the calorie counts above, that would equal:

• Chicken cutlet (4 oz): 270 calories
• Sauce (1/4 cup): 60 calories
• Cheese (1/4 cup): 90 calories

Total calories per serving: About 420

The exact total will vary slightly depending on the specific ingredients used, cooking methods, and portion sizes. But you can expect a single chicken parmigiana serving to contain approximately 400-450 calories.

Nutrition Profile of Chicken Parmigiana

Beyond just calories, what is the overall nutritional value of chicken parmigiana? Here is a nutrition facts breakdown for a 420-calorie serving:

• Total fat: 21g
• Saturated fat: 8g
• Carbs: 14g
• Sugar: 3g
• Protein: 29g

Chicken parm also provides calcium from the mozzarella cheese, vitamin C from the tomato sauce, and a small amount of fiber.

The main nutritional considerations are the high fat and sodium content. The majority of calories come from fat due to the cheese and fried chicken coating. The dish also contains over 1000mg of sodium, mainly from the cheese.

To make it more nutritious, opt for low-fat cooking methods for the cutlets, use part-skim mozzarella, and limit the amount of sauce and cheese to control calories, fat, and sodium. Enjoying chicken parmigiana occasionally as part of a balanced diet should be fine for most healthy individuals.

Tips for Lightening Up Chicken Parmigiana

Chicken parmigiana is definitely an indulgent dish. But a few simple substitutions and cooking tweaks can help reduce the calorie count:

• Bake instead of fry the chicken cutlets. Baking saves you about 80 calories and 10g fat per cutlet.

• Use part-skim mozzarella and grated Parmesan instead of full-fat mozzarella.

• Go easy on the tomato sauce – a couple tablespoons will provide enough flavor.

• Serve over a bed of spinach instead of pasta. You’ll add nutrients and slash carbs.

• Make it a “chicken parm salad” by putting it over a green salad instead of pasta.

• Flavor with fresh herbs and garlic instead of breading to boost nutrition.

• Use turkey cutlets or chicken breast to reduce fat and calories.

With a few simple substitutions, you can still enjoy the delicious flavors of chicken parmigiana in a lighter, more well-balanced meal. Aim for reasonable portion sizes, and round out the meal with non-starchy veggies and a side salad.

The Bottom Line

Chicken parmigiana is a classic Italian favorite loved by many for its crispy fried chicken, savory tomato sauce, and melted cheese. A typical 4-ounce serving of chicken parm made with breaded chicken cutlets contains approximately 420 calories and 21g of fat.

While not the healthiest dinner option, chicken parm can absolutely be part of a balanced diet when enjoyed in moderation alongside veggies, salad, and other nutritious foods. There are also many ways to tweak the traditional recipe to reduce calories, fat, and sodium while still delivering on big, bold flavors.

So savor your chicken parm – just be mindful of portions. Pair it with a nutrient-dense side salad and perhaps enjoy over spinach instead of pasta. With a few simple substitutions and a wise approach to portions, you can still enjoy all the pleasures of chicken parmigiana without overdoing it on calories.