Lightened-Up Chicken Parmesan (Printer View)

Tender baked chicken with marinara, mozzarella, over sautéed zucchini noodles for a light gluten-free main dish.

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 oz each)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Coating

04 - 1/2 cup almond flour
05 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
07 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 large egg, beaten

→ Topping

09 - 1 cup marinara sauce, low-sugar preferred
10 - 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
11 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
12 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

→ Zucchini Noodles

13 - 4 medium zucchini, spiralized
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
15 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a shallow dish, combine almond flour, grated Parmesan cheese, dried Italian herbs, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly.
04 - Dip each chicken breast in beaten egg, then dredge thoroughly in almond flour mixture, pressing gently to ensure coating adheres completely.
05 - Arrange coated chicken on prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
06 - Remove from oven. Spoon marinara sauce evenly over each chicken breast. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and additional Parmesan cheese on top. Return to oven for 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
07 - While chicken finishes baking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add spiralized zucchini noodles, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until tender but not soggy.
08 - Divide sautéed zucchini noodles among serving plates. Top each portion with one baked chicken breast. Garnish generously with fresh basil leaves before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and comforting while actually keeping you full and satisfied, no afternoon slump included.
  • The whole meal comes together in under an hour, which means you can pull off something restaurant-worthy on a weeknight without stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip the egg wash step—it's what makes the almond flour coating actually stick to the chicken rather than flake off like dandruff during cooking.
  • Zucchini noodles release water as they cook, so resist the urge to cover the skillet or cook them longer than 3 minutes, or you'll end up with a soggy, disappointing side dish that undermines everything else.
03 -
  • Let your chicken breasts sit at room temperature for 5 or 10 minutes before cooking so they cook through evenly instead of drying out on the outside while the center catches up.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, you can bread all your chicken earlier in the day and refrigerate it until you're ready to bake, which means less stress when people are arriving hungry.
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