Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan has every bit of the great taste of the original–without the flour! This low carb version of the popular Italian American dish is full of savory, cheesy flavor. Topped with marinara sauce and parmesan, it’s perfect for a big family meal!
It’s easier than you think to make your favorite restaurant meals at home. Italian food lovers enjoy this Antipasto Salad and Bruschetta Salad too!
Why this Recipe Works
Chicken Parmesan doesn’t have to be dredged in flour and bread crumbs to be delicious! This gluten free recipe coats chicken breasts in an almond flour based breading for amazing results.
This recipe is:
- Low in carbs and gluten free.
- Pan fried then baked for a delicious juicy flavor.
- Easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough to serve guests.
- Full of Italian herbs and plenty of cheese!
Serve gluten free chicken parmesan over your favorite gluten free pasta, zoodles or a helping of cauliflower rice.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken Breasts. You’ll need four equally sized chicken pieces. Chicken tenderloins can be substituted. (See note about cooking time.)
Nutritional yeast. These vitamin fortified flakes add an appealing savory, cheesy flavor to the chicken coating. You can use in my Vegan Queso recipe too!
Marinara sauce. If using store bought sauce, make sure to check the label to ensure no added sugars. We use Rao’s brand for this chicken parmesan recipe.
Italian Seasoning. Use our homemade italian seasoning for a flavor boost!
Easy Instructions
STEP 1. Pound chicken to even thinness
Place the chicken breasts between slices of parchment paper. Use a meat mallet to pound each piece to about 1/2″ thickness.
STEP 2. Coat chicken
Mix together parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast, seasoning and almond flour.
Dip chicken in a bowl of egg wash. Then dredge each piece of chicken in the parmesan mixture to coat.
STEP 3. Cook
Place the chicken in a preheated skillet coated with olive oil. Let cook on the stove for 2 -3 minutes on each side.
Sprinkle with more shredded parmesan cheese, then cover loosely with foil. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
STEP 4. Add sauce
Pour marinara sauce over the baked chicken. Now top with even MORE parmesan cheese! (We weren’t kidding when we said this was cheesy.)
Put the chicken skillet back in the oven to melt the cheese, about 5 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Chicken tenderloins are a great choice for this recipe. They tend to be sold in evenly sized pieces, so you can omit the pounding step in the recipe. If using tenderloins, reduce the baking time to 15 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer to check chicken for doneness. Do not remove the chicken from the oven until it has reached an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat and enjoy within 3 days.
- Love Italian food? Try our Zucchini Lasagna recipe too for a low carb meal.
Recipe FAQs
If your skillet isn’t oven safe, you can transfer the chicken to a baking dish after browning. I would use a 13 x 9 dish for even baking.
We love our chicken parm with chickpea pasta! It’s also delicious with zoodles or served as is, with a salad on the side.
Yes, but then it’s not chicken parmesan! Try combining different kinds of Italian cheese for a tasty variation.
More Gluten Free Dinners
- Low Carb Baked Ranch Chicken
- Big Mac Salad
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- Greek Chicken Skewers
- Homemade Enchilada Sauce
- Chicken Caprese Salad
Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan has every bit of the great taste of the original--without the flour! This low carb version of the popular Italian American dish is full of savory, cheesy flavor. Topped with marinara sauce and parmesan, it's perfect for a big family meal!
Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 total)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prepare chicken by placing it between two pieces of parchment paper and pounding it to equal thickness (about 1/2-inch thick). This helps ensure even cooking time. Set aside.
- In a shallow bowl (or pie plate), combine grated parmesan cheese, almond flour, nutritional yeast, italian seasoning, and garlic salt. Set aside.
- In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together 3 large eggs. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil in a large oven safe skillet (I use a 12-inch skillet, cast iron or stainless steel). Heat oil over medium high heat.
- Dip chicken in egg wash then in the bowl with parmesan cheese mixture. Be sure to get a good coating on both sides, pressing gently. Place chicken in preheated skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Sprinkle chicken with shredded parmesan. Cover skillet with foil (in a tent so the cheese doesn't stick to foil). Bake in oven for 20 minutes, or until internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove foil and top chicken with marinara sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Return to oven for 5 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
Notes
- Chicken- tenderloins would also work great with this recipe as they tend to be the same size. You may have to cut the cooking time down to 15 minutes in the oven as they will cook faster.
- If your skillet isn't oven safe, after browning the chicken on the stove top, transfer to a 13x9 baking dish for the oven.
- Be sure to choose marinara sauce with no added sugar. We love Rao's brand.
- Serve with zoodles or a chickpea pasta (like Banza brand). ENJOY.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 489Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 245mgSodium: 1158mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 61g
If you love Chicken Parmesan, this gluten free version will not disappoint. Make this kid friendly, low carb meal part of your family’s dinner plans!
Lynette
Saturday 1st of July 2023
This recipe is one of my favorites ever ! It is perfection ! I made it exactly as recipe said to .