Healthy Chicken Parmesan

This healthy chicken parmesan is breaded with almond flour and baked so it’s gluten-free and grain-free! It’s delicious and perfect for satisfying a craving for Italian comfort food. 

These baked paleo chicken tenders have become one of my most popular recipes here on EBF and for good reason. They’re easy to make, gluten-free, grain-free and absolutely delicious, not to mention Whole30 approved! I love serving the tenders with baked sweet potato fries or over a fresh salad, but I thought it would be fun to give them an Italian spin by adding a little marinara and parmesan cheese.

Traditional vs. Healthy Chicken Parmesan

Traditional recipes for chicken parmesan are loaded with multiple cheeses, bread (or flour) and sometimes butter. There is nothing wrong with any of those ingredients, but sometimes I don’t want to feel like I need to be rolled away from the dinner table… you feel me? This simple, cleaned-up version is perfect and won’t leave you feeling overstuffed or bloated. 

• chicken tenders or chicken breast – I prefer using tenders because each piece gets a bit more of the almond flour coating which, let’s be honest, is the best part!
• egg
• almond meal + spices in place of the breadcrumb mixture
• marinara (homemade or jarred) – I’m loving Rao’s Homemade marinara right now, I just make sure any store-bought marinara doesn’t have added sugar. 
• freshly grated parmesan cheese

Meal Prep Chicken Parmesan

I really like doing the cook-once, eat-twice method by making a batch of the tenders on Sunday night. The recipe makes four servings so we’ll have the tenders for dinner on a big salad and then I’ll save the leftovers to make this chicken parm the following night. The only additional items you need to have on hand are a little marinara and fresh parmesan cheese. I serve the chicken parm with roasted broccoli and it’s absolutely delish. It would also be delicious served on top of zucchini noodles. 

The baked chicken breasts will last for 3-4 days in the fridge so make as much as you’d like ahead of time! If you can’t eat them that quickly you can also freeze the baked chicken breasts (without the tomato sauce and cheese) for up to two months. 

Like This Recipe? Here Are More Healthy Chicken Recipes To Try:

• Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
• Lemon Garlic Chicken Sheet Pan Meal
• Apple Cider Vinegar Chicken
• Chicken Fajita Quinoa Bowls
• Cilantro Lime Chicken Burgers

If you make this healthy chicken parmesan, please be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how it turns out. Your feedback is so helpful for the EBF team and other EBF readers.

Healthy Chicken Parmesan

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★★★★★

5 from 7 reviews

• Author: Brittany Mullins
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4

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Ingredients

• 1 lb organic boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup almond meal
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup marinara (homemade or jarred)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Place almond meal, paprika, cayenne, garlic, sea salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
3. Crack egg into another shallow bowl and whisk.
4. Dredge each chicken breast in the egg bowl, wipe off any excess and then dip into the almond meal mixture. Roll until each chicken breast is covered completely. Place the coated chicken on a baking pan lined with parchment paper or on a wire rack that fits on a baking sheet. The wire rack will make for a crispier texture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping the chicken once at the 15-minute mark. When done, the chicken will be golden brown and completely cooked through.
5. Once cooked through, top each chicken breast with 2-3 Tablespoons of marinara and 2 teaspoons of parmesan cheese. Return chicken to oven and bake 5-10 minutes, until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with roasted broccoli or another green veggie.

• Category: Lunch/Dinner
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Calories: 306
• Sugar: 1g
• Sodium: 357mg
• Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 5g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 34g
• Cholesterol: 128mg

Keywords: healthy chicken parmesan