High Protein Chicken Parm Cottage Cheese Bowl (Printable view)

A nutritious Italian-American bowl with seasoned chicken, marinara, cottage cheese, and golden breadcrumbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (approximately 7 oz), cooked and chopped
02 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Sauce & Cheeses

06 - 2/3 cup low-fat cottage cheese (approximately 5.5 oz)
07 - 1/2 cup marinara sauce (approximately 4 fl oz)
08 - 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (approximately 1 oz)
09 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (approximately 0.75 oz)

→ Toppings

10 - 2 tablespoons whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
11 - 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
12 - Fresh chopped basil, for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Turn on your oven broiler or toaster oven to the highest setting, allowing it to reach full temperature while you prepare the ingredients.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and toast, stirring frequently, until they turn golden brown, approximately 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside in a small bowl.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped cooked chicken with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Toss thoroughly to ensure even distribution of spices.
04 - Divide the seasoned chicken evenly between two oven-safe bowls, spreading it across the bottom of each vessel.
05 - Spoon half of the marinara sauce over the chicken in each bowl. Top each portion with half of the cottage cheese, spreading it slightly to cover the sauce.
06 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan evenly over both bowls, covering the cottage cheese layer.
07 - Place the bowls under the preheated broiler. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching carefully, until the cheeses are fully melted and bubbly with light golden spots.
08 - Carefully remove the bowls from the oven using oven mitts. Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs over each bowl and garnish with fresh chopped basil. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get all the savory satisfaction of chicken parm without the heavy breading and frying that usually comes along for the ride
  • The creamy cottage cheese melts into the hot marinara creating this rich, comforting texture that feels way more indulgent than it actually is
02 -
  • The first time I made this I forgot to toast the panko first and the whole thing was just sad and soft, so do not skip that step
  • Use bowls that can actually handle the broiler because I have learned the hard way that not everything is oven-safe despite what it looks like
03 -
  • Let the bowls sit for about two minutes after broiling because that cheese is basically molten lava and patience pays off here
  • If your cottage cheese has large curds, give it a quick pulse in the food processor for a creamier texture that melts into the sauce better

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