My version of Parmesan-crusted chicken is low-carb, gluten-free, and easy! Simply coat the chicken with spices, mustard, almond meal, and cheese, then bake. From start to finish, this recipe is ready in about 40 minutes.
Chicken is not the most exciting type of meat, but it's tasty and affordable. So, I always look for ways to make it more interesting, such as blackened chicken or Cajun chicken. My entire family loves this simple and easy recipe for Parmesan-crusted chicken. The cheesy coating becomes crispy and flavorful as it bakes in a hot oven. It's a delicious main course everyone enjoys!
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Avocado oil spray: I use it to spray the top of the chicken pieces before baking them. Avocado oil is perfect for this recipe because it has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point.
- Mustard: I use Dijon mustard, which is creamier and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
- Almond meal: I almost always use blanched almond flour in my recipes. But in this recipe, I prefer using a coarser almond meal.
- Grated parmesan cheese: Make sure it's finely grated and not coarsely shredded.
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Combine the mustard and spices in a small bowl. In an 8-inch square baking dish, combine the almond meal and Parmesan. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then brush them with the Dijon mixture and dredge them in the almond meal/Parmesan mixture.
Place the coated chicken breasts on a roasting rack. Sprinkle them with paprika and lightly spray them with oil. Bake until their internal temperature reaches 165°F. Allow the chicken to rest for five minutes before serving.
The crust comes out crispy, and the inside is tender and juicy, as shown in the photo below.
I was looking for a healthy alternative for lunch meat and found your recipe. It was for my husband but I ate it too and we both loved it. Thank you for your time and efforts and especially for the great recipes.
June
Read more comments
I was looking for a healthy alternative for lunch meat and found your recipe. It was for my husband but I ate it too and we both loved it. Thank you for your time and efforts and especially for the great recipes.Recipe Tips
- It's best to use coarse almond meal instead of fine almond flour when making this recipe. The texture is better. But if all you have is almond flour, that's fine!
- It's also best to use small chicken breasts weighing 6-7 ounces each. Large chicken breasts need to be baked for longer, and the coating can become overly browned. If your chicken breasts are large and you need to bake them for longer than 20 minutes, loosely cover them with foil after the first 20 minutes to prevent the tops from burning. An 8-ounce chicken breast will need around 30 minutes in a 425°F oven, but check with a thermometer to make sure it's done.
Recipe FAQs
You'll need high heat. In this recipe, since we're using the oven, you want a fairly high oven temperature of 425°F.
Yes. You can use finely crushed pork rinds. You can buy them pre-crushed and labeled as "pork panko" on Amazon. If you don't mind carbs/gluten, you can use plain breadcrumbs, keeping in mind that the nutrition info will change.
Yes, but only if you butterfly the chicken breast and cut it in half so that it's thinner, like I do when making broiled chicken breast. Cook the chicken over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Lower the heat to medium and cook for a bit longer if the crust starts browning too fast.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I usually slice the leftovers and use them cold as a salad topping. They're very good in a chicken Cobb salad. You can also reheat the leftovers in a 350°F oven to restore some of the coating's crispness.
Serving Suggestions
Since I bake it in a 425°F oven, I like to serve the chicken with a side dish I can cook in the same oven, such as:
Recipe Card
Oven-Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- Avocado oil spray
- 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup almond meal - 4 ounces; See notes below
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese - grated ; 1.5 ounces
- 4 chicken breasts - small, 6-7 ounces each
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons parsley - chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and fit it with a roasting rack. Spray the roasting rack with oil.
- In a small bowl, use a rubber spatula to mix the mustard, garlic powder, thyme, and cayenne.
- In an 8-inch square baking dish, combine the almond meal and parmesan.
- Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides, then brush them with the Dijon mixture. Dredge them in the almond meal/parmesan mixture.
- Place the coated chicken breasts on the prepared roasting rack. Sprinkle them with paprika (mostly to add a nice color) and lightly spray them with oil.
- Bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 20 minutes. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle it with chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- It's best to use coarse almond meal instead of fine almond flour. But if all you have is almond flour, that's fine!
- Use breadcrumbs instead of almond meal if you don't mind the cabs/gluten. The nutrition info will change.
- It's best to use small chicken breasts weighing 6-7 ounces each. Large chicken breasts need to be baked for longer, and the coating can become overly browned. If your chicken breasts are large and you need to bake them for longer than 20 minutes, loosely cover them with foil after the first 20 minutes to prevent the tops from burning. An 8-ounce chicken breast will need around 30 minutes in a 425°F oven, but check with a thermometer to make sure it's done.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The coating will lose its crispness, though. I usually slice the leftovers and use them cold as a salad topping. However, you can also reheat the leftovers in a 350°F oven to restore some of their crispness.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
June says
I was looking for a healthy alternative for lunch meat and found your recipe. It was for my husband but I ate it too and we both loved it. Thank you for your time and efforts and especially for the great recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe, June! Thank you for leaving a comment. I appreciate it.
B says
Is there any reason you couldn't use flax meal instead of almond?
Thanks!
Vered DeLeeuw says
It should work, but I haven't tried it. I only tested this recipe with almond meal.
The nutrition info will change, obviously.
Sheryll $ Critters. says
If you have large boneless, chicken breasts, simply split them in half lengthwise.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thanks for the tip, Sheryll! Glad you liked this recipe.