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This Gluten-Free Chicken Parmesan is my healthier take on a classic comfort-food favorite. It’s made with crispy, golden, gluten-free-breaded chicken cutlets that are topped with tangy marinara sauce and piled with gooey mozzarella.
It’s low-carb, grain-free, paleo, keto-friendly, and totally satisfying when you want classic Chicken Parmesan without the gluten or added junk.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Gluten-Free Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Whether you’re cooking for weeknight dinner or hosting friends, this recipe delivers that crispy coating we all love, plus rich flavor that reminds you of traditional chicken parm — just without the gluten and grains.
For me, chicken parmesan was my staple order growing up. From chicken parmesan dinner dish to subs or heroes (if you’re from New York, you know what I mean), you name it, I ordered it!
Each chicken cutlet is, of course, topped off with a healthy dollop of savory marinara sauce and plenty of gooey mozzarella. Pair it with zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or your favorite gluten-free pasta for the ultimate Italian comfort food.
Overall, this recipe makes for great meal prep (and the leftovers taste amazing). You can feel good about serving these clean ingredients to your friends and family.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
For the Chicken:
- Chicken: You’ll need 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast.
- Egg and Water: A mix of egg and water brushed on the outside of the chicken helps the breading stick.
- Breading: Our gluten-free breading is made with almond flour, Italian seasoning, garlic granules, fine sea salt, and optional red pepper flakes. It’s not your classic bread crumb mixture, but it’s a great gluten-free alternative.
For the Topping:
- Marinara Sauce: You can use your favorite store-bought variety or whip up a batch of homemade marinara sauce.
- Mozzarella Cheese: For the best results, shred your own mozzarella cheese. It makes all the difference in the texture and melts the best!
- Basil: I like to finish each chicken cutlet off with a sprinkle of fresh basil for garnish.
How to Make Chicken Parmesan
This simple gluten-free chicken parmesan recipe is ready to serve in under 45 minutes! It’s quick enough to whip up on a busy weeknight but also tasty and impressive enough to serve for your next dinner party.
- Prep the Chicken: First things first — pat your chicken dry and use a meat tenderizer. Season lightly with salt and pepper. In a shallow bowl, whisk together one egg and a touch of water. In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour with Italian seasoning and garlic powder. This is your breading station — easy and mess-free!
- Bread the Chicken: Dip each chicken piece into the egg wash, then coat thoroughly in the almond flour mixture. Press the coating on so it sticks; this is key for getting that crispy exterior.
- Cook the Chicken:
You’ve got two great options here:
Bake (my go-to method): Arrange breaded chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle or spray with a bit of olive oil. Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden
Pan-Frying (extra crispy chicken): Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5–8 minutes per side until crispy and cooked through
Both methods result in juicy, flavorful chicken — your choice! - Add Sauce & Cheese: Spoon marinara over each chicken piece, then top with a generous sprinkle of fresh mozzarella. Pop it back in the oven for 5–8 minutes so the cheese gets melty and irresistible. Broil to get the cheese melty!
What to Serve With It
This Paleo Chicken Parmesan goes with so many favorites! Here are a few ideas:
- Zucchini noodles — for a low-carb Italian dinner
- Spaghetti squash — amazing with extra marinara
- Gluten-free pasta — if you’re craving classic pasta night vibes
- A big green salad or roasted veggies — to balance the meal
No matter how you serve it, this dinner will disappear fast.
Tips for Success
Here are a few of my favorite tips for making the BEST Paleo Chicken Parmesan:
- Dry the chicken well before breading — it helps the coating stick.
- Use freshly shredded mozzarella — it melts so much better than pre-shredded.
- Flip the chicken halfway when baking so each side gets golden brown.
- If meal prepping, store the chicken separately from the sauce so it stays crispy.
These simple steps make a big difference!
FAQ’s:
In traditional chicken parmesan, breadcrumbs are used to create that crispy, golden breading for the chicken. No almond flour? You can certainly use gluten-free breadcrumbs for this recipe!
To keep this recipe gluten-free, I coat the chicken in egg, followed by a blend of almond flour and spices.
The almond flour soaks up the extra moisture while the egg helps the breading get that classic crispy texture we want in chicken parm!
No egg? Try brushing the outside of the chicken with a little bit of butter or olive oil instead. Either one of these will help the breading stick to the meat. The finished chicken parmesan may not be quite as crispy, but it will still be delicious!
Fridge: Store in an airtight container up to 3–4 days in the refrigerator.
Freezer: Keeps up to 2–3 months (freeze without sauce/cheese for best texture)
Reheating: Bake at 400°F until warmed through — add fresh basil before serving.
This recipe is a meal prep lifesaver! Just follow the storage instructions above!
Serving Suggestions
I like to pair this gluten-free chicken parmesan with zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or (if I’m not trying to enjoy it as a low-carb meal) gluten-free pasta!
Wanting to round your meal out with a couple of sides? Here are a few favorites:
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
- Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
- Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- 15-Minute Chicken Tacos
- Gluten Free Chicken Milanese
Watch the Video:
Low Carb Paleo Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
For the Breading:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules/powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Optional: Sprinkle of red pepper flakes
Everything Else:
- 1 cup marinara sauce, of choice
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and pound to an even thickness using a meat tenderizer. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and water until well combined.
- In a shallow bowl or plate, whisk together the almond flour and seasoning.
- Dredge each chicken cutlet in the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then coat evenly in the almond flour mixture.
- To Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the chicken cutlets in a single layer. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through with no pink remaining.To Fry: Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken cutlets and cook for 5–8 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer the cooked chicken cutlets to a baking sheet. Spoon marinara sauce over each cutlet and top with cheese.
- Bake at 350°F or broil for 5–8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
This was awesome. I can’t remember the last time I had Chicken Parmesan. I served it with a spinach salad.
This was delicious. I made it with edamame pasta and really enjoyed it!! Thank you!
This recipe is a total home run, thank you Lexi! Flavorful, clean, delicious!
What do you recommend in place of almond flour for people with allergies? Also what about as a binder for meatballs? Most paleo recipes I find all use almond flour. Thank you!
Thanks for the super yummy recipe, Lexi! One comment: it would be super helpful if you could note in the ingredients list that the chicken breast should be in cutlets. That wasn’t clear and I had to adjust the cooking time on mine to make up for the wrong size breasts 🙂 thank you!!
This Chicken Parmesan is out of this world!! I would choose this over traditional any day!
So glad you love!
OMG chicken parm is my absolute fave!! NEED to try this ASAP!
It’s my favorite too!!!
Great dinner idea!
1. Which do you think would taste better- Zucchini noodles or Sweet Potato Noodles ?
2. Is Marina Sauce Paleo friendly? I would assume most are not but any you are aware of that are?
3. Thoughts on Dairy Free Cheese? I want to make this as authentic as possible but those ‘cheeses’ can be a bit off sometimes.
Thanks!
1. I love both. 2. Look for ones with no sugar added, they exist, so yes! 3. I’m not a dairy-free cheese fan, personally. If I can’t do the real thing, I omit!
This looks perfect, Lexi! And I love the video!
Thank you!!!!