Crispy oven fried chicken is layered with marinara and cheese, then broiled to bubbly perfection. You’re going to love this grain free twist on a classic dinner favorite! Want to make it dairy free or Whole30 compliant? Leave the cheese off, and you’re good to go!

Chicken Parmesan was one of my favorite “adult dishes” I learned to make in college, and went on to make just about weekly. It looks like you put effort into dinner, and tastes like it too! And while the breading steps can seem like “a lot” – they’re truly not. It goes so fast, and is so worth a few minutes extra to get that crispy chicken!

Make it Extra Crispy!

I gave an option to pan-fry your chicken (then finish in the oven) in the notes below, but the “oven fried” method is honestly my favorite! It’s the easiest, least cleanup, and – did I mention least cleanup?! It’s so simple and so nice to not have any oil splatter on the stovetop.

Everything happens in the oven, and the chicken still comes out so crispy and good! No flipping or anything. Couldn’t be easier!

It All Happens in the Oven

Once the chicken is cooked, I layer on some marinara & organic grassfed cheese (we love Organic Valley or the New Zealand varieties from Trader Joe’s) and broil just to get the cheese bubbly and delicious. That’s it!

We serve this with roasted veggies, but it would be great with your favorite pasta too! We love Banza and Cappello’s for grain free versions.

Easy Sides to Go with Your Chicken Parmesan

Want some great sides to go with your chicken parmesan? Try these!

Print Recipe

Grain Free Chicken Parmesan

Crispy oven fried chicken layered with marinara and cheese, then broiled to bubbly perfection. A grain free twist on a classic dinner favorite!
Servings: 6
Calories: 385kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast*
  • 1 tsp dried Italian herb blend
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
  • 1 cup shredded cheese omit for Whole30
  • chopped fresh basil optional garnish
  • olive oil or olive oil spray

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
  • Lay out two shallow bowls large enough to fit at least one piece of chicken at at time. In one bowl, add the two eggs and whisk. In the other bowl, combine the almond flour, nutritional yeast, herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Pat the chicken pieces dry, then coat them one at a time, repeating until all of the chicken is breaded:
    Dip the chicken into the egg, then flip to coat on both sides.
    Transfer the chicken to the breading mixture, pressing to coat both sides.
    Gently shake off any excess, then lay onto the lined baking sheet.
  • Give all of the chicken an even mist of olive oil spray to help the breading crisp up and brown. If you don't have a mister, lightly drizzle a small amount of olive oil over top.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted to the largest part of the chicken reads 165ºF. Remove from the oven, and turn the oven up to "broil".
  • Season the cooked chicken with a little salt, then layer with marinara sauce and a sprinkle of cheese. Return to the oven, and broil just a few minutes – until the cheese melts and bubbles. Keep an eye on the dish making sure the parchment doesn't burn (I place my baking sheet at least 6"+ away from the broiler to be safe)
  • Serve warm with roasted veggies or your favorite pasta. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If you don’t have (or like) nutritional yeast, you can substitute tapioca flour, shredded coconut, or parmesan cheese.  I like the slight cheesy flavor the nutritional yeast adds – but any of these will give the texture and crispy factor you want for this recipe.
  • Want to make this dairy free?  Skip the shredded cheese, or opt for a dairy-free version like almond cheese, and you’re good to go!
  • There are so many great marinara options out there now.  We have been loving the Kirkland’s brand organic marinara from Costco that’s a great price for a three pack, and super flavorful with no sugar or soy – just simple, clean ingredients.  
  • Want your chicken to be *extra crispy*?  Before baking, pan-fry the chicken in batches (so that the chicken isn’t touching/over-crowded in the pan) for 2-3 minutes per side, just until golden.  Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes to finish cooking.  This will give you an extra crispy breading!

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 828mg | Potassium: 870mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 516IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 3mg
Filed   keto, Paleo, poultry, Whole 30