Low-Carb Chicken Parmesan

If you've never made chicken Parmesan before, don't worry – it's not as intimidating as it looks. You'll also be pleasantly surprised to know that this classic dish comes together in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for weeknights or days you don't have a lot of time.

Chicken parmesan can be pretty heavy from breading, frying, and sugary sauces, but this homemade blood sugar-friendly version tastes just as good and uses ingredients that prevent glucose spikes. Pair it with some fresh spring veggies like peas or roasted asparagus, and you have a perfect family-style meal.

Full disclosure: Mostly, I don’t bother coating the chicken. I just salt and garlic powder it, then sauté it in olive oil over medium-high heat until it’s well browned on both sides before saucing, cheesing, and broiling. It is absolutely delicious that way. But if people in your family – or you yourself – will be disappointed to find bare chicken beneath the cheese and sauce, then go ahead and coat away. This is a serious crowd favorite, so if you are feeding teenagers, consider doubling the recipe.

Recipe details

Makes: 4-6 servings

Total carbohydrates: 7-10 grams per serving

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1.5 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 package skinless, boneless chicken breasts (around 1.5 pounds), trimmed of extra fat
• Salt
• Garlic powder
• Olive oil
• 2 cups no-sugar-added marinara sauce (if it’s not nice and thick, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste while you simmer over low heat for a minute or two)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Instructions

1. Crack the eggs into a wide shallow dish and beat them with a fork. In another wide, shallow dish, stir together the almond flour and shredded parmesan.

2. Cut each chicken breast in half to make thinner cutlets. Lay it on a cutting board, place your non-cutting hand flat on top of it, and cut it carefully across the middle, with the knife blade parallel to the cutting board. Season both sides of the cutlets with salt and garlic powder.

3. Dip each cutlet first in the beaten egg, letting the extra drip off, and then into the cheese mixture to coat. Lay them back on the cutting board as they’re coated. This is a very messy process, and it will work best if you wash and dry your hands between each piece of chicken, even if that seems totally bizarre and excessive. It’s also completely fine if the coating is not perfect.

4. Heat a large, oven-safe pan over medium heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. If you don’t have an oven-safe pan, you can transfer the chicken to a casserole dish or baking sheet after frying. Lay the chicken pieces in the hot pan and leave them completely alone for 3-4 minutes before peeking underneath one piece to check if the coating is browned. If you fuss with them before the coating melts and sets, it will be inclined to flake off, but if this happens, don’t worry about it. Eventually, the chicken will be sauced and cheesed, and all imperfections will be rendered invisible to the naked eye. Carefully flip the chicken and cook for another few minutes on the other side, until it looks browned and crisp when you peek under. Leave the chicken in the pan.

5. Heat your oven’s broiler. Spoon the sauce evenly over the cutlets, then top with the cheese and broil until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and just beginning to brown, around 3 or 4 minutes. Enjoy!

Photo credit: Catherine Newman