Keto parmesan chicken combines all the flavors you love, without the carbs you don’t, to give you a quick and simple dinner. We start with chicken breast cutlets, pan fry with fresh parmesan, and top with marinara and mozzarella before it goes in the oven where it transforms into a keto chicken parmesan (no breading) that is definitely a WHOLE LOTTA YUM!
You won’t miss the breading or the flour because this healthy, low-carb chicken parmesan still delivers all the taste you know and love.
Keto Chicken Parmesan
Eating healthy is something we always strive for in our home, but sometimes the classic recipes don’t quite line up with today’s standards. Thankfully there are ways around this and today’s recipe is no exception!
We are starting with our keto parmesan crusted chicken, covered in Italian seasoning and fresh parmesan cheese, and topping it with marinara and mozzarella to create a keto chicken parmesan that will satisfy even those who refuse to try a low-carb dish.
By skipping the breading of traditional chicken parmesan, we are going to create a keto parmesan chicken recipe that works for those who need to eat gluten-free, low-carb fans, and even works for those who follow a strict keto diet.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- No breading means you can enjoy chicken parmesan and still stick within your dietary restrictions.
- Pan fried parmesan chicken creates the crunchy base for marinara and fresh mozzarella that you expect from chicken parmesan.
- Keto parmesan chicken tastes just like the traditional Italian dish!
- Keep the carbs extra-low by choosing a sugar-free marinara sauce (our favorite is listed in the ingredients!).
- With both fresh parmesan and fresh mozzarella, this keto parmesan chicken is a cheese lover’s dream dish!
Serve your low-carb chicken parmesan alongside Italian baked zucchini and squash or microwave steamed broccoli to create a complete low-carb dinner that is bursting with flavor!
If you love Italian-inspired chicken dishes as much as we do, be sure to check out our Caprese chicken bake, keto cordon bleu. and keto chicken parmesan casserole.
Ingredient Notes
If this ingredient list has you overwhelmed, let us assure you it’s a seriously easy recipe to pull together that will wow your whole family! So grab your chicken cutlets, eggs, seasoning, and shredded parmesan cheese, and let’s get started on the first part of this amazing keto chicken parmesan recipe!
And don’t worry, we will utilize that sugar-free marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil garnish in part two. 😉
- chicken breast cutlets – you can buy thinly sliced chicken breasts at the store or take full size and cut them in half lengthwise
- large eggs
- Italian seasoning
- garlic salt
- black pepper
- shredded Parmesan
- olive oil, divided
- marinara sauce, sugar-free like Rao’s (I buy it online in bulk from Walmart)
- fresh mozzarella OR 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- garnish with fresh basil, more parm, and red pepper flakes if you prefer a kick
On Keto?
Grab our FREE keto foods list here
Snag our Keto Binder HERE
Recipe Steps
Your keto parmesan chicken has 2 parts to it – create keto parmesan crusted chicken, then turn that into the low-carb chicken parmesan you know you are going to love!
Prep
Cut two large chicken breasts lengthwise to make chicken breast cutlets.
Crack the eggs into a small low bowl, whisk, and then add the garlic salt, ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Combine well.
Put the shredded parmesan in another small low bowl.
Sear with Parmesan
In a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil.
Using tongs, dip each chicken cutlet on both sides first into the egg wash and then into the parmesan.
Cook two chicken cutlets at a time for 3-4 mins per side until brown. Don’t flip early or the cheese will fall off. It’s got to crisp and not just melt or the cheese won’t become a crust.
Add 1 more Tbsp of olive oil to the pan before cooking the 2nd batch of cutlets.
Assemble
Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.
Transfer the first two chicken pieces into the sauce while you continue cooking the other cutlets. Add the other parmesan-crusted chicken to a baking dish and lay on top of the marinara sauce.
Cover with the other cup of sauce and then add 2 slices of fresh mozzarella to each chicken breast. If you’re using shredded mozzarella cheese, sprinkle 1/4 cup-1/2 cup per chicken breast cutlet.
Sprinkle with another 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese.
Bake 10 mins on 375F until the cheese is melted and starts to brown, and the chicken internal temperature is at 165F. You can broil for 1 minute if you want the cheese to get a little brown and crispy on top.
Makes 4 servings.
Garnish with more fresh parmesan and chopped basil.
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- To properly create the parmesan crust on your chicken cutlets, make sure you use a non-stick pan! We tested several other types of pans and found that the non-stick pan was the only one that allowed the parmesan crust to stay on the chicken.
- Speaking of non-stick pans, do not use non-stick spray in them. The spray will ruin the finish on the pans. Always use oil when cooking in a non-stick pan.
- Overcrowding your pan will not allow the chicken to cook enough or the parmesan to stick to the chicken. Cook in batches for best results.
- Serve your keto parmesan chicken over zoodles to get that full Italian feel.
Common Questions
How Do You Store Leftovers?
Store any leftover keto parmesan chicken in the fridge in a covered dish for 3-4 days. Just know that left-overs, when reheated, will not be crispy (but they still will be tasty!).
What to Serve with Chicken Parmesan?
Keto parmesan chicken can be served as-is; however, if you would like to add some additional items to your table consider these choices:
- Serve over zoodles for a low-carb noodle option
- Italian baked zucchini and squash
- Pan fried asparagus
- Spinach salad with bacon
- Oven roasted herbed broccoli
More Keto Chicken Recipes
- Keto chicken cordon bleu
- Sour cream chicken enchilada skillet
- Keto parmesan chicken
- Green chili chicken bake
Please leave a review if you make our keto parmesan chicken recipe! We love feedback from readers, plus it helps others too.
Come connect with us on Instagram! Be sure to tag us (wholelotta.yum) when you make a recipe. You can also find us on Facebook, and Pinterest.
Keto Parmesan Chicken
A healthy low carb chicken parmesan recipe that first sears the chicken with parmesan to form and crust and then finishes baking with classic chicken parm ingredients. Cooks in less than 30 mins!
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups shredded Parmesan, divided
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 C marinara sauce
- 8 slices fresh mozzarella OR 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cut two large chicken breasts lengthwise to make chicken breast cutlets.
- Crack the eggs into a small low bowl, whisk, and then add the sea salt, ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Combine well. Put the shredded parmesan in another small low bowl.
- In a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil.
- Using tongs, dip each chicken cutlet on both sides first into the egg wash and then into the parmesan.
- Cook two chicken cutlets at a time for 3-4 mins per side until brown. Don’t flip early or the cheese will fall off. It’s got to crisp and not just melt or the cheese won't become a crust.
- Add 1 more Tbsp of olive oil to the pan before cooking the 2nd batch of cutlets.
- Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Transfer the first two chicken pieces into the sauce while you continue cooking the other cutlets. Add the other parmesan crusted chicken to a baking dish and lay on top of the marinara sauce.
- Cover with the other cup of sauce and then add 2 slices of fresh parmesan to each chicken breast. If you're using shredded mozzarella cheese, sprinkle 1/4 cup-1/2 cup per chicken breast cutlet.
- Sprinkle the entire dish with another 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese.
- Bake 10 mins on 375F until the cheese is melted, starts to brown, and the chicken internal temperature is at 165F. You can broil for 1 minute if you want the cheese to get a little brown and crispy on top.
- Makes 4 servings. Garnish with more fresh parmesan and chopped basil.
Notes
Be sure to use a non-stick skillet, the cheese fell off and stuck to the pan otherwise.
Don't flip the chicken until the crust has formed.
Our favorite store-bought sugar-free marinara is Rao's
To save time, you can try to squeeze 4 pieces in a pan at a time but when we tried this for one batch the cheese didn't brown as well on the edges.
Garnish with fresh basil, more parm, and red pepper flakes if you prefer a kick
Serve with zoodles, broccoli, or roasted veggies.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 581Total Fat 40gSaturated Fat 20gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 188mgSodium 1828mgCarbohydrates 6gNet Carbohydrates 4gFiber 2gSugar 7gProtein 40g
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