Looking for a must-try chicken dinner that is anything but boring? This Keto Parmesan Crusted Chicken recipe is a low-carb version of a favorite Italian dish. Easy dinners like this Keto Parmesan-Crusted Chicken will never go out of style! The marriage of a mayonnaise-based marinade topped with a crispy cheese coating is simple but shockingly delicious. Whether you're trying to go keto or just trying to cut back on the carbs, this recipe is going to be perfect for you. If you're like many, you're probably the only one in your household trying to cut carbs and struggle to find a recipe that suits your nutrition needs and the tastes of your family. This crispy parmesan chicken is a favorite because of how crispy and flavorful it is. The kids love it on pasta and it is great on a salad.
Why This Recipe Works
You really can't go wrong with a crunchy, healthy main course like this. One thing to always do is give chicken breasts a little pounding to thin them out. It's important to pound the chicken breast pieces, which helps to tenderize them. This recipe only takes about 20 minutes, is gluten-free, flour-free, egg-free, and nut-free! Why it is liked is because you don’t use regular flour, almond flour, coconut flour nor breadcrumbs or pork rinds. The breading is simply parmesan cheese and a few seasonings. So with just a few basic ingredients you get crispy chicken with a cheese crust that has awesome flavor.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this delicious keto chicken:
Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are ideal for this recipe. You can also use boneless thighs if you prefer dark meat. Start out with a thin cut of chicken like breast tenderloins or chicken cutlets. This will ensure that your keto parmesan crusted chicken gets nice and crispy on the outside at the same time that it gets cooked through. The chicken breasts are sliced in half horizontally to make them thinner and cook quickly. Slicing them in half also helps the parmesan and almond flour stick to the chicken.
Parmesan Cheese: Finely grated fresh parmesan cheese is best here. It adds to the flavor of this low carb parmesan-crusted chicken. Please skip the pre-grated parmesan (aka the sandy stuff) since that type of parmesan will not work as well with this recipe. It will yield a thin crust (similar to Italian breadcrumbs). It is better to use than the fresher, shaved type you find in refrigerator section of the grocery store because It’s a bit drier and resembles more of a bread crumb.
Read also: Crispy Keto Chicken
Mayonnaise: Homemade mayo is excellent if you have time. The mayonnaise is used instead of an egg wash. It keeps the meat moist and juicy. However if you prefer you can use a regular egg wash.
Almond Flour: Almond flour helps coat the chicken and cover any missed spots the parmesan didn’t cover. This is a low carb alternative and great if you are on the keto diet.
Oil: Avocado oil or Any keto-friendly oil that is safe at higher temperatures will work here.
Seasonings: This is where you can get really creative and make this recipe your own. A mixture of Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and paprika to season the breading for this keto parmesan crusted chicken. Since this recipe has lots of parmesan cheese, it is good to stick with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt & pepper. A dash of red chili flakes is great too. Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Thyme - You can use 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh thyme if you like.
- Salt and Pepper - My recommendation is always 1 teaspoon of salt per pound of meat. I still taste before serving and sprinkle with a pinch of salt if necessary.
Preparation and Cooking Instructions
Follow these simple steps for perfectly crusted chicken:
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Prep the Chicken
Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. Lay the chicken breasts out on a cutting board and cut in half horizontally. Place pieces in a plastic baggie or between two pieces of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallot to pound into thin cutlets. It's best if they all have uniform thickness. Place all of them on a plate and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. One thing I always do is give my chicken breasts a little pounding to thin them out. Take precautions with raw chicken, as you don’t want to contaminate your surfaces. I never lay cutlets on a wooden cutting board. I have a special “chicken only” color coded mat that I lay over my cutting board or on the counter. You can put the cutlets in a plastic bag or between parchment (my preference) and use the side of a mallot, a cast iron frying pan or a heavy rolling pin to thin the cutlets.
Make the Coating
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper. Coat the chicken with the mayonnaise mixture. Allow the chicken to sit for at least 15 minutes- If possible, do this up to one day ahead of time. Get out two shallow bowls. In one mix the mayonnaise with water in one bowl. In the other bowl mix the parmesan and spices. Dip the chicken pieces in the mayo wash and the bread them with the parmesan mixture. Place back on the plate. Do this with all the pieces.
Dredge the Chicken
Place the parmesan and baking powder in a shallow dish and stir to combine. Dredge the chicken in the cheese mixture, pressing the cheese into the make. In a shallow container with a side bottom, add Parmesan, almond flour, Italian seasoning, paprika, pepper, and salt. Dip chicken breasts into eggs, turning over once, and then let the excess drip back into the container. Dredge in dry mixture, making sure both sides are thoroughly coated.
Cooking Methods
Here are a few different cooking methods you can use:
Oven
Preheat oven to 400F. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound until the breasts are even thickness.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Put an oven-safe wire rack over a baking sheet. Metal roasting racks or oven-safe cooling racks are ideal because they lift the chicken off of the surface of the pan. Doing this allows air to reach all sides of the chicken and allows for extra crisping.
- Spray the chicken with oil.
- Arrange the chicken on the wire rack and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer registers 160° F.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Cook at a higher temperature. I like 400. The higher temp helps lock in moisture in the chicken and also helps to crisp up the breading, avoiding the unsavory situation of dried out, overdone chicken and soggy breading.
If your breading isn't quite as crispy as you'd like once the chicken is done, don't continue baking it for too long or you will risk drying out the meat. Instead, flip the oven over to the broiler and broiler for a minute or two to finish adding some color and crisp on the breading.
If you are lucky enough to have convection settings on your oven - use it! The additional circulating air will contribute to faster cooking and better crisping. (Tip: if you use a convection setting, lower the oven temp in the recipe by 25 degrees).
Stove Top
- Heat oil in a heavy-duty skillet to 350°F. Get out a large non-stick skillet and heat to medium high heat. Add the olive oil and when it is hot, add the chicken to the skillet. Turn the heat down to medium heat.
- Add the chicken, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping when a parmesan crust is golden brown. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes undisturbed and then flip and do the other side for 3 minutes until golden brown. Be sure not to flip until the parmesan is golden on the first side or it will slide off.
- Remove from the pan when an instant-read thermometer registers 160° F.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes prior to serving.
Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 375° F. Preheat your air fryer and line the air fryer basted with an air fryer liner.
- Place the chicken in the air fryer basket. Spray the basket with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the chicken and cook, flipping only after a golden crust has formed.
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken and its thickness. Cook at 400°F for 10-13 minutes. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your chicken.
I tried this recipe first in the air fryer but the problem I had was that the breading on the bottom fell completely through the air fryer basket so it ended up being fried only on one side. However if you are interested I would only bread it on one side. Place in a single layer in the air fryer. Set it to 400°F and cook for 10-13 minutes depending on how thick your chicken pieces are.
Tips for the Best Keto Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Prep Your Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. Mine were very large so I cut mine in half. Place them in a plastic baggie or use plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound them thin. You want all the pieces to be of uniform thinness.
- Use the Right Temperature: To avoid burning the Parmesan crust, make sure the oil is 350°F.
- Don't Move the Chicken Too Soon: Now this is the important part: make sure that once you put your chicken in the pan you don't move it around at all. Just let it sit for about 2 minutes and then gently lift up a piece to check on the crispiness of the crust.
- Use Convection: The additional circulating air will contribute to faster cooking and better crisping. (Tip: if you use a convection setting, lower the oven temp in the recipe by 25 degrees).
Serving Suggestions
This Keto Parmesan Crusted Chicken is incredibly versatile. I made mine into a keto chicken parmesan by serving it over spaghetti squash with homemade marinara, but this chicken is so versatile you can really serve it with anything! You can eat this dish with a simple green salad and steamed vegetables but if you want something more substantial try this keto cheesy cauliflower broccoli rice or this cauliflower rice with mushrooms and peas.
- Put it over salad for a low-carb fried chicken substitute.
- Serve it as is with some healthy sides. like our Keto Squash Casserole.
- Roasted Green Vegetables - asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli florets are delicious when coated in a little olive oil and seasoned simply with salt and pepper.
- Baked Sweet Potato - served with butter and cinnamon, baked sweet potatoes are a favorite complex carb side dish.
- Green Salad - always an easy choice for those keeping the carbs low.
- Other ideas are this roasted cauliflower mash, scalloped turnips, Mediterranean brussel sprouts, spicy Asian green beans or asiago asparagus fries.
- This dish would also be great with a dipping sauce.
Leftovers
Keep any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Leftovers are great for topping salads or as sandwiches.