High Protein Chicken Parm Cottage Cheese Bowl (Printable)

Tender chicken with marinara, cottage cheese, and crispy breadcrumbs in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

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

→ Sauce & Cheeses

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

→ Toppings

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

# How to Make It:

01 - Set your oven broiler or toaster oven to high heat setting for melting and bubbling the cheese topping.
02 - Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add panko breadcrumbs and toast, stirring frequently, until golden brown and crispy, approximately 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for final garnish.
03 - Place the chopped cooked chicken in a bowl and evenly coat with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Toss well to distribute seasonings throughout.
04 - Divide the seasoned chicken evenly between two oven-safe serving bowls, spreading it across the bottom of each bowl.
05 - Spoon marinara sauce over the chicken in each bowl, then distribute the cottage cheese in dollops across the sauce layer.
06 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheeses evenly over both bowls, covering the cottage cheese and sauce completely.
07 - Transfer bowls to the preheated broiler and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until cheese is fully melted, bubbly, and beginning to brown slightly.
08 - Carefully remove bowls from the oven using oven mitts. Sprinkle the toasted panko breadcrumbs and fresh basil over each bowl. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cottage cheese creates this incredibly creamy layer that melts into the marinara like a secret weapon nobody expects
  • You get all the satisfaction of chicken parm without the mess of dredging and frying
  • Each bowl packs nearly 50 grams of protein but somehow still feels like comfort food
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that regular bowls will crack under the broiler, so make sure yours are actually oven-safe
  • The cottage cheese might look a little lumpy going in, but it smooths out perfectly as it melts with the sauce
  • If your broiler runs hot, check the bowls after 2 minutes because burnt cheese sadness is real
03 -
  • Let the bowls sit for 2 minutes after broiling so the cheese sets slightly and you don't burn your tongue on that first bite
  • Room temperature cottage cheese melts more evenly than cold straight from the fridge

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