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Low Carb Chicken Parmesan with a crispy Keto coating tastes just like a classic Parmigiana without the carb-loaded guilt!
Miss your beloved Chicken Parmigiana? Smothered in a rich homemade tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese, there’s no doubt you’ll be adding this low carb chicken parmesan recipe back into your keto diet! Air fryer method included!
LOW CARB CHICKEN PARMESAN
We are using our Parmesan Crusted Chicken recipe to make one hell of a parma for those of us TRYING to stick to our diets, and possibly failing because the craving for ‘normal’ food is too real. If this speaks to you… YOU’RE WELCOME! Because sometimes you just want a golden, crispy coating on your chicken and when that craving hits, even this no-breading Easy Mozzarella Chicken recipe just doesn’t cut it!
Normally, recipes for a low carb crust contain coconut flour, pork rinds or some kind of nut meal. I found the best tasting crumb for this low carb chicken parmesan recipe is a mixture of almond flour and parmesan cheese.
HOW TO MAKE LOW CARB CHICKEN PARMESAN
Golden cheesy crust, rich tomato sauce and melted cheese in the form of a low carb chicken parmesan, is the keto answer to your parma loving, gluten free prayers!
Just like a classic chicken parma recipe, skinless and boneless chicken breasts are dipped in a flavourful egg wash for the ultimate taste explosion before being coated in a parmesan crumb mixture. This low carb chicken parmesan may have a few steps, but the end result is so worth it:
- Season to start the flavour-romance: I use Italian seasoning but you can use whatever you have — just make sure you love it.
- Dip in a garlicky egg wash: fresh garlic is best but you can sub with garlic powder. Use 1 teaspoon.
- Coat in parmesan/almond flour mixture.
- Fry to crispy, golden heaven for four minutes each side. Cook in an olive oil/butter mixture. You can use either or both together as we always do. I find the butter/oil mixture yields perfect golden-crust results.
- Cook sauce.
- Spread half of the sauce in your baking dish.
- Arrange chicken over sauce, top with more sauce, sprinkle with cheese.
- Broil (or grill for us Aussies!)
With our low carb chicken parmesan, you have the option of using your favourite marinara sauce or cooking up our homemade tomato sauce.
TIPS
Since you’re cooking chicken breasts coated with parmesan cheese, you need to use a non-stick frying pan (or skillet). Please don’t use any other pan as the chicken may stick to it and ruin your dinner.
To check if your low carb chicken parmesan is golden on the underside, give it a gentle push with a spatula after three minutes of cooking. If it moves or slides in the grease, use nonstick tongs to lift a corner of the breast to check. If golden, flip and cook until done all the way through.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH LOW CARB CHICKEN PARMESAN
Buttery Cauliflower Mash, zucchini noodles, Creamy Broccoli, Garlic Mushrooms, cauliflower rice, Sautéed Green Beans, steamed veggies or roasted veggies will pair perfectly with your low carb chicken parmesan.
AIR FRYER CHICKEN PARMESAN
You CAN totally air fry your low carb chicken parmesan!
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Spray crumbed chicken all over with olive oil spray.
- Place two chicken breasts in air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 7 minutes.
-
Flip the chicken breasts over. Top with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Air fry for a further 3-4 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), and cheese has melted.
-
Set aside and repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
MORE KETO RECIPES
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi
Pork Chops With Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Steak & Shrimp (Surf and Turf)
Spinach Stuffed Salmon
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Low Carb Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
CHICKEN:
- 1 pound chicken breasts 2 large breasts
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pinch salt to season
EGG WASH:
- 2 eggs
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch cracked pepper to taste
COATING:
- 1 cup parmesan cheese fresh grated
- 1/2 cup almond flour not almond meal
TO COOK:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
TOPPING:
- 26 ounces marinara sauce see notes to make from scratch
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese fresh
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes crushed, optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley
Instructions
CHICKEN:
- Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to make 4 fillets. Generously season with Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
EGG WASH:
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, garlic and Italian seasoning. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place chicken in the egg wash and set aside to let marinate.*
COATING:
- Combine the parmesan cheese and almond flour in a separate shallow bowl.
TO COOK:
- Using a fork or tongs, pick up one of the chicken breast pieces and allow excess egg wash to drip off. Dredge in the parmesan mixture, pressing chicken lightly into the coating with the back of the fork, then turn and repeat. Shake off excess coating and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
- Heat oil and butter in a large NON-STICK skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry 2 chicken pieces at a time UNTOUCHED for (about 4 minutes). Do not move chicken around as the coating may peel off of the surface of the chicken before it gets a chance to stick!
- Once the coating is crispy, golden and set, flip and continue frying on other side until golden and cooked through.
- Repeat with remaining chicken breast.
- Arrange oven rack to the middle of your oven. Preheat oven broiler (grill) to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a baking dish with non stick cooking oil spray.
- Spread half of the marinara over the base of a lightly greased baking dish. Sprinkle with red chili flakes (if using) and arrange chicken over the sauce in a single layer. Spread remaining sauce over each chicken breast.
- Top with the mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Broil (or grill) for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and melted and the chicken is completely cooked through.Sprinkle with chopped basil or parsley to serve.
Notes
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Spray crumbed chicken all over with olive oil spray.
- Place two chicken breasts in air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 7 minutes.
-
Flip the chicken breasts over. Top with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Air fry for a further 3-4 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), and cheese has melted.
-
Set aside and repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 14 ounces (400 g) tomato puree (Passata)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon sugar substitute (optional)
- Red chili flakes
- Heat oil in a medium-sized pot. Fry onion until transparent (about 3 minutes), then add the garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Add the tomato puree, salt and pepper to taste, Italian herbs, sugar substitute and a pinch of red chili flakes. Cover with lid to simmer for about 8 minutes, or until sauce has thickened slightly. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve with our popular buttery cauliflower mash for the ultimate low carb meal!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very tasty! I used a no sugar added pasta sauce. I subbed the almond flour with pork panko. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Perfect! So flavorful and very easy to make. Thank you for the recipe.
Wow. So tasty. Hubby said its best chicken he ever tasted
Okay, so I only made the chicken portion of this. No tomato sauce and mozzarella. The chicken and coating is AMAZING! I will remember this even if not doing low carb. It fried up so well and didn’t get soggy like regular flower coating. So good!
Made this tonight for dinner and it was fabulous. I had never made chicken parmesan before, and my husband and I went keto about 6 weeks ago. I even used the the marinara sauce recipe you posted, but half of the parmesan cheese for the coati ng. Still came out crispy and delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Omg I just made this and it was so delicious
It’s a hit! Better than pub parmy! Thanks!!
I had some of my own sauce and was looking for a low-carb coating for veal cutlets….what a great find! The cutlets were thin and were quick to make. The coating was crispy and so delicious! Looking forward to using chicken next time-this recipe is definitely a keeper!