Low-Carb Chicken Parmigiana with Pork Rind Crust
Chicken Parmigiana is a classic comfort food, but traditional recipes often rely on refined seed oils and carb-heavy bread crumbs. If you’re following a low-carb or keto lifestyle like my family, you don’t have to give up this Italian favorite! This version of Low-Carb Chicken Parmigiana with Pork Rind Crust replaces bread crumbs with crushed pork rinds for a crispy crust and ditches inflammatory seed oils in favor of healthier fats. You can crush your own pork rinds or purchase them ready to go @ https://a.co/d/j1c26qy My local grocery store carries this brand and it is good.
You probably already know this, but packaged, grated cheese is simply not as tasty as freshly grated. In addition, most cheese that comes already grated contains cellulose to keep it from sticking together. Even if your anti-caking blend doesn’t have cellulose, calcium sulfate is most likely used in it, which is actually commonly used to make ground cement and making tiles. Do you really want that in your cheese?
If you do not have a spiralizer, you would enjoy this one from Amazon: https://a.co/d/ioeYLnk Mine is in constant use! I do recommend that after you spiral zucchini, lay it on a few paper towels and add a generous amount salt. Let it remain on the paper towels for five minutes. The salt will draw some of the water out of the zucchini so that it is not too runny when heated. In addition, do not overcook zucchini because it can become rather mushy. Think of it like al dente pasta and remove from heat while it still has a bit of a crunch to it.
Let’s get cooking!
Low-Carb Chicken Parmigiana with Pork Rind Crust
Ingredients
- For the Chicken:
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (butterflied and pounded to even thickness)
- 1 cup crushed pork rinds
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tbsp butter for frying
- For the Sauce:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can 14 oz crushed tomatoes (no sugar added)
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes optional
- For Assembly:
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil for garnish optional
- For the Base:
- 3 medium zucchini spiralized into noodles (or use roasted eggplant slices)
- 1 tbsp butter or olive oil for sautéing
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- In a bowl, whisk together eggs and heavy cream.
- In another shallow dish, mix crushed pork rinds, Parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture, then coat in the pork rind mixture, pressing firmly to adhere.
- Fry the Chicken:
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Fry the chicken for about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown (it will finish cooking in the oven).
- Make the Sauce:
- In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Assemble and Bake:
- Place the fried chicken in a baking dish.
- Spoon marinara sauce over each piece and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Prepare the Zucchini Noodles:
- Heat butter or olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add zucchini noodles and sauté for 2-3 minutes until just tender (avoid overcooking to prevent sogginess).
- Serve:
- Plate the zucchini noodles, place the chicken parmigiana on top, and garnish with fresh basil.
Notes
Eggplant Base: Instead of zucchini, roast eggplant slices and use them as a base.
Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free cheese alternatives and coconut cream instead of heavy cream.
Extra Crunchy: Double-coat the chicken by dipping it in the egg mixture twice before frying.
Enjoy your low-carb, seed oil-free Chicken Parmigiana!