Chicken Parmesan is a beloved dish found on the menu of nearly every Italian restaurant across America. It's a classic for good reason: it’s undeniably delicious! However, traditional chicken parmesan, with its flour and breadcrumb coating, is not keto-friendly, containing around 49 grams of carbs per serving. This keto chicken parmesan recipe offers a delectable, low-carb alternative, delivering all the flavor and comfort of the original with only a fraction of the carbs.
Understanding the Keto Transformation
The key to making chicken parmesan keto-friendly lies in replacing the high-carb breadcrumb coating with low-carb alternatives. This recipe primarily utilizes almond flour or crushed pork rinds. Pork rinds, when cooked in a skillet, achieve a delightful crispiness that mimics the texture of traditional breadcrumbs.
Ingredients for Keto Chicken Parmesan
Here's what you'll need to create this keto-friendly version of chicken parmesan:
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins are ideal. For even cooking, ensure they are thinly sliced or pounded to about ¼ inch thickness. Cut large chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Place one half in a large Ziploc bag and seal. Pound with the flat side of a meat mallet until about ⅓-inch thick and 3 to 4 inches wide.
- Breading: The breading consists of a mixture of almond flour or crushed pork rinds, grated Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasonings. To crush the pork rinds, it works best to pulverize them in a food processor or blender, so that you have nice, fine crumbs.
- Egg Wash: An egg wash, sometimes combined with cream or water, helps the breading adhere to the chicken. Mayonnaise can also be used instead of an egg wash, keeping the meat moist and juicy.
- Marinara Sauce: Choose a marinara sauce carefully, as many store-bought varieties contain added sugar. Opt for a sugar-free or keto-friendly marinara sauce. Rao’s Marinara is a tasty option with no sugar added. You can also use a keto spaghetti sauce.
- Cheese: Mozzarella cheese is essential for that melted, bubbly topping.
- Oil: Use oil for frying the chicken.
Preparing the Keto Chicken Parmesan
There are a few different ways to prepare Keto Chicken Parmesan, baking or frying.
Baking Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Prepare the chicken: If chicken breasts are thick, slice lengthwise. You want a thin breast or tenderloin. You can also pound them thin. Pound the chicken breast until ¼ inch in thickness. Sprinkle each breast of chicken with salt and lightly coat both sides of the chicken with the almond flour until covered.
- Set up breading stations: In a medium bowl, combine the egg and cream. In a separate bowl, combine the pork rinds, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, salt, and crushed red pepper if using. Whisk together.
- Bread the chicken: Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture and then in the pork rind mixture until well coated.
- Bake the chicken: Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 min. You want to chicken to be about 145-150 degrees before you add the sauce and the cheese.
- Add sauce and cheese: Top each piece with sauce and then shredded mozzarella.
- Finish baking: Bake for another 5-10 min until the chicken is 160 degrees when checked with a meat thermometer and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Frying Instructions
- Preheat oven to the broil setting.
- Prepare the chicken: If chicken breasts are thick, slice lengthwise. You want a thin breast or tenderloin. You can also pound them thin. Pound the chicken breast until ¼ inch in thickness. Sprinkle each breast of chicken with salt.
- Set up breading stations: In a medium bowl, combine the egg and cream. In a separate bowl, combine the pork rinds, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, salt, and crushed red pepper if using. Whisk together.
- Bread the chicken: Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture and then in the pork rind mixture until well coated.
- Pan-fry the chicken: In a large skillet, heat the ghee or oil over medium high heat. Place chicken evenly in pan and cook for 3-5 minutes per side until coating is golden brown and until chicken is no longer pink.
- Add sauce and cheese: Transfer chicken to a baking sheet and top with marinara sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.
- Broil: Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Alternative Cooking Methods
- Air Fryer: You can also cook this dish in the air fryer. Just grease the air fryer basket and add the chicken in a single layer. Spray the basket with nonstick cooking spray. Cook at 400°F for 10-13 minutes. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your chicken.
- One-Pan Method: Use an oven-safe nonstick pan rated for at least 400 degrees F. This way you can brown the breaded chicken breasts then finish baking them in the oven. This makes cleanup easy and allows for one-pot Parmesan Chicken.
Important Tips for Success
- Don't overcook the chicken: Use a digital meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). The internal temperature should be 165°F. If you have think pieces you make have to now add them to a sprayed baking dish and bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes to finish cooking them.
- Choose quality ingredients: The type of marinara sauce does matter. In a simple dish like this, you can really taste the difference between homemade and store-bought and between cheap store-bought tomato sauce and quality sauce.
- Get creative with seasonings: Adjust the seasonings in the breading to your liking. Garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper are all excellent additions.
Serving Suggestions
Keto Chicken Parmesan is delicious on its own or served with a variety of keto-friendly sides. Consider these options:
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
- Zucchini noodles ("zoodles")
- Instant Pot spaghetti squash
- Low Carb Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Keto cheesy cauliflower broccoli rice
- Cauliflower rice with mushrooms and peas
- Roasted cauliflower mash
- Scalloped turnips
- Mediterranean brussel sprouts
- Spicy Asian green beans
- Asiago asparagus fries
- A simple green salad with a keto-friendly dressing
- Steamed vegetables
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: You can keep this low carb chicken Parmesan in the refrigerator for about 4 days in a sealed container.
- Reheating: Either reheat in the oven or the air fryer. We find it crisps up best in an air fryer.
Is This Recipe Gluten-Free?
Yes! Since we’re using crushed pork rinds or almond flour for the breading, there is no gluten to be found in this recipe. Enjoy without worry!
A Versatile and Family-Friendly Meal
Keto Chicken Parmesan is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed by the whole family. If you’re living with a family full of carb lovers, go ahead and serve this with a side of pasta for them!
Read also: Easy Keto Chicken
Read also: Delicious Baked Potatoes