Name: Keto Zone Chicken Parmesan
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 36 min
Total time: 51 min
Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (pounded to 1/2 inch thickness); 1 large egg (whisked); 1/2 cup blanched almond flour; 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated); 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp dried parsley; 1/2 tsp sea salt; 1/8 tsp black pepper (ground); 4 tbsp grass-fed butter (or ghee, divided); 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (no sugar added); 1/2 cup whole milk mozzarella (sliced thin); 1/4 cup fresh thyme (chopped, for garnish)

Chicken parmesan is one of the dishes people miss most when they cut carbs, and for good reason. The standard version is built on wheat flour, breadcrumbs, seed oil and a marinara that often carries more sugar than a cookie.

Every one of those is replaceable. Blanched almond flour and grated parmesan make a crust that browns better than breadcrumbs do. Grass-fed butter handles the pan. A no-sugar-added marinara keeps the sauce honest. What comes out is a dish that reads as the real thing, at roughly 6 g net carbs and 45 g of protein per serving.

The one step worth not skipping is pounding the thighs to an even thickness. It is the difference between a weeknight dinner people ask for again and one that comes out dry.

Keto chicken parmesan with almond flour crust, melted mozzarella and marinara in a baking dish

Dr. Don Colbert, MD

Keto Zone Chicken Parmesan

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 36

Total Time 51

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 560

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
1 large egg whisked
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper ground
4 tbsp grass-fed butter or ghee, divided
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce no sugar added
1/2 cup whole milk mozzarella sliced thin
1/4 cup fresh thyme chopped, for garnish

Equipment

Cast iron skillet or frying pan
9x13 baking dish
Meat mallet
Mixing bowls

Method

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, grated parmesan, garlic powder, dried parsley, sea salt and black pepper.
In a second small bowl, whisk the egg.
Melt 1 tbsp of the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Dip one piece of chicken in the egg, letting the excess drip off.
Press the chicken into the almond flour mixture until fully coated on both sides.
Cook 4 minutes per side, until golden. Almond flour browns faster than breadcrumbs, so watch it and pull the heat back if it darkens early.
Set the browned chicken on a plate. Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan and repeat with the remaining thighs.
Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara across the bottom of a baking dish.
Arrange the chicken on top of the sauce in a single layer.
Spoon the remaining marinara over the chicken.
Lay a slice of mozzarella on each piece.
Bake 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the chicken reaches 165°F internal.
Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped fresh thyme, and rest 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 9.7gProtein: 44.9gFat: 38.7gFiber: 3.3gSugar: 3.7g

Notes

Pound the thighs to an even 1/2 inch. Uneven thickness is the main reason chicken parmesan comes out dry at one end and underdone at the other.

Read the marinara label. Most jarred sauce carries 6 to 10 g of added sugar per half cup, which will undo the whole dish. Look for a sauce with no added sugar and 4 g of carbs or less per 1/2 cup serving.

Serve over zucchini noodles, roasted spaghetti squash, or sautéed spinach. Adding zoodles will change the nutrition figures below.

Adapted from foodwithfeeling.com.

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