The most obvious substitute to pasta on the side of your chicken parm is a good quality toasted bread to scoop up that homemade sauce. But if you’re looking to make this a lighter meal, you have plenty of healthier side dish options.

Rather than skipping noodles altogether, you can use vegetable noodles for a nutritious twist that keeps your dish looking like traditional chicken parm but with a vegetable right on the plate. We recommend zucchini noodles for their mild flavor. Once cooked, they are light and airy, like angel hair pasta.

Another smart side dish is a salad. Since you’ve worked hard to create a rich, delicious dish, don’t go with boring old iceberg lettuce and tomato. Boston lettuce salad is a colorful and flavorful choice that combines butter lettuce, sweet green peas, and radishes. Or up your game with a roasted asparagus salad dressed up with kalamata olives and cherry tomatoes.

A warm side dish works well, too, like garlic green beans or roasted Brussels sprouts. Or go old school with sautéed escarole drenched in olive oil. You can even replace pasta with a healthier carb, such as wild rice pilaf with mushrooms or quinoa with herbs, shallots, and lemon juice.