Keto chicken parmesan is such an easy and filling dinner – breaded chicken, sweet marinara, gooey mozzarella… what’s not to like? This low carb chicken parmesan recipe has the same authentic flavors, without all the carbs! And not only is it easy to make, but it’s made with a secret ingredient that ensures a crispy keto chicken parm crust that actually sticks. (Want a vegetarian take on chicken parm? Try cauliflower parmesan!) Are you wondering what this secret ingredient is? Whey protein powder! And why is the best low carb chicken parmesan recipe made with grass-fed whey protein powder? It’s perfect for dredging! It is finer than most keto friendly flours (as much as I love my keto friendly flours!), making it ideal. It’s pretty common in breaded chicken recipes to dredge them in flour first, which makes the breading stick better. That’s obviously a no-go for a keto chicken parmesan recipe, but protein powder does the job just as well. This keto friendly chicken parm recipe was originally published on May 23, 2018, and the post was republished in August 2020 to add useful tips. And, making chicken parmesan low carb is much easier than it sounds! You just need three mixing bowls and one pan…
How To Make Keto Chicken Parmesan
How do you make this low carb baked chicken Parmesan recipe? Easy, peasy.
Brine chicken. Like most my keto chicken recipes, start by brining the chicken in salt water. It’s the secret to super juicy chicken breast, no matter how you make it afterward! Prep breading. Arrange an assembly line of 3 bowls – protein powder, beaten eggs, and the breading – crushed pork rinds (make ’em using a mallet or a blender!), grated parmesan, Italian seasoning, and more whey, all mixed together. Even out chicken. Pat the chicken dry and pound with a mallet to even thickness. You don’t have to be super precise, just enough that the chicken cooks fairly evenly later. Bread chicken. Dredge each piece of chicken in protein powder (that just means roll it in there), and dip in the egg to coat all sides. Shake off the excess egg, then roll in the breading to cover.
TIP: Use two hands, one for the dry dredging and breading, and the other hand for the wet egg wash. This prevents your breading from getting soggy from egg-covered hands. You can also try shaking the bowl with the breading and chicken if it’s large.
Preheat the oven. Make sure the oven is preheated before you begin frying the chicken, because you’ll bake it immediately after. Brown chicken. Fry the chicken for a couple minutes on each side.
TIP: Use an oven safe pan, so that it can go straight into the oven afterward!
Top and bake. Top the chicken with marinara and shredded mozzarella cheese, then bake until the cheese is gooey and a little brown.
Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately. So good!
Is chicken parmesan keto?
Regular chicken parmesan is not keto friendly, because the breading contains wheat. This is a perfectly keto chicken parm recipe, though! Each (very filling) serving has just 3.9 grams net carbs. This Italian classic can fit your keto lifestyle!
Is there a substitute for the whey protein powder?
Yes. You can use coconut flour for dredging, and replace the whey in the breading with almond flour. I did just that in my keto eggplant parmesan recipe.
Is there a substitute for the pork rinds?
Yes. You can use almond flour instead. However, the breading is less crispy this way.
Keto Chicken Parm Storage Instructions
Can you make it ahead?
Keto Parmesan chicken is best made fresh, but you can mix together the dry breading ingredients to help speed up the process when you make it.
How to store keto chicken parmigiana
Store leftover low carb chicken parm in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Can keto parmesan chicken be frozen?
Yes, you can also freeze low carb chicken parm for 2-3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating instructions
Reheat keto parmesan crusted chicken in a 350 degree F oven or a hot skillet for best results. Microwaving it is not ideal, as it will end up mushy.
What To Serve With Low Carb Chicken Parm
Keto chicken parmesan goes well with so many things! Often times, I just serve it with a big low carb salad. Otherwise, there are plenty of low carb side dishes you can pair with it:
Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower – Always a great side – for anything! Roasted Zucchini – Just 4 ingredients and 25 minutes total! Cauliflower Rice – Serve this low carb chicken parm recipe over a bed of cauliflower rice. Spaghetti Squash – One of the most classic ways to serve this dish is with pasta, so pair your baked low carb chicken parm with spaghetti squash!
More Keto Chicken Dinner Recipes
If you like this low carb chicken Parmesan recipe, you might also like some of these other keto chicken dinner recipes:
Keto Chicken Tenders – Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. Just 1 gram net carb per serving! Baked Chicken Drumsticks – 10 minutes to prep and these drumsticks turn out perfectly crispy each and every time! Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs – With creamy garlic flavor, these chicken thighs are fancy enough for guests, but easy enough for weeknights! Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers – Fun and easy twist on fajitas! Naturally low carb, keto friendly, paleo, and gluten-free. Slow Chicken Cacciatore – This healthy recipe has 2 prep time options, with all the classic Italian flavor.
Tools To Make Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
Meat Mallet – Ensure that your chicken cooks evenly by pounding it with this meat mallet first. It’s a kitchen tool must! Oven-Safe Pan – Because we’re browning and baking the keto chicken parm, we need a pan that can go from stove to oven.
Low Carb Keto Chicken Parmesan Recipe Pin It For Later!
- For dredging: 1/4 cup protein powder
- For dipping: Eggs, beaten
- For breading: Crushed pork rinds, grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and remaining 1/4 cup protein powder, stirred together Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too - I’d love to see it! (This is a large serving and you can easily have half paired with a side dish.)
