Let’s make this crispy parmesan crusted chicken as an easy, healthy meal this week! The crunchy parmesan crust on the outside, the tender, juicy baked chicken inside, and the squeeze of lemon make this dish one of my all-time favorites! Plus it comes together in less than 30 minutes for a quick and easy weeknight dinner!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

After trying this parmesan crusted chicken at a charming, locally owned restaurant in Park City, UT, I decided it was going to be the next recipe I make healthier at home. Here are a few reasons you’re going to love it!

It’s absolutely delicious!: A crunchy parmesan crust with tender, juicy baked chicken and a squeeze of lemon make this dish one of my all-time favorites!

It’s a healthier version: Using finely chopped almonds and gluten free flour, this parmesan crusted chicken uses healthier ingredients than the original version.

It only takes 25 minutes!: With just 10 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of actual cooking, this parmesan crusted chicken recipe comes together in less than 30-minutes! Which is busy weeknight gold!

Great for meal prep: These crusted chicken leftovers are perfect to add to a salad or quinoa meal prep bowl throughout the week.

Looking for more chicken parmesan recipes? Try this even healthier chicken parmesan without breading, this quinoa crusted chicken parmesan, or this baked chicken parmesan.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

This past summer after a long day at the lake we stopped to eat at a charming locally owned restaurant in Park City, Ut. I ordered their crusted parmesan chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and green beans. It was one of the tastiest meals I had had in a while. Super flavorful, crispy chicken. A little bit of fresh lemon flavor. I could literally eat this meal once each week for the rest of my life and still enjoy it.

So I came home and recreated the crispy parmesan chicken in my own kitchen using my favorite ingredients. I think I actually enjoyed this homemade version better, OR I like the idea of knowing EXACTLY what is in my food so maybe it was just a placebo effect 😅 REGARDLESS, this chicken turned out DELICIOUS and you must make it ASAP if you’re a crispy chicken lover like me!

Serve alongside mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower, and my FAVORITE green beans.

Ingredients:

These are the simple ingredients that make this parmesan crusted chicken a healthy meal.

6 servings

1-1/2 lbs chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
2 tsps garlic powder
2 tsps onion powder
1 Tbsp dried oregano
sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Gluten-free flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 Tbsps olive oil or avocado oil, divided
fresh lemon wedges for serving

How To Make Parmesan Crusted Chicken:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees f. and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Slice your chicken breasts carefully down the center creating two thin cutlets from each breast.
Sprinkle all seasonings including sea salt and pepper evenly over both sides of all the chicken cutlets then rub seasonings into the chicken cutlets.
In a small food processor or high-speed blender add your almonds then pulse until minced and nicely crumbled, but not made into flour. Some texture will help the cutlets get that crispy crust!
Whisk together the minced almonds with the ground parmesan cheese until well combined.
Dredge each seasoned chicken cutlet very lightly into the GF flour to coat both sides, shake off any excess flour, then dip into the beaten eggs and allow the excess to drip off.

chicken being breaded to make parmesan crusted chicken.

7. Next, dip into your parmesan-almond mixture and gently press to adhere the crumbs on both sides. Set aside on a plate and repeat this process with all of your remaining chicken cutlets.

breaded chicken cutlets for parmesan crusted chicken.

8. Preheat 1 tablespoon of your oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

9. Cook 2-3 chicken cutlets per batch, until nicely golden-brown and crisp, but not entirely cooked through. About 2 minutes on each side. Repeat this process adding fresh oil to each batch.

10. Transfer all chicken to your prepared sheet pan once they are golden brown.

11. Place this sheet pan in the oven and bake at 400 degrees f. for 15 minutes, or just until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees f.

12. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Enjoy!

❤️Rachel

parmesan crusted chicken with lemon wedges.

Recipe FAQ’s

Is parmesan crusted chicken healhty?

Healthy parmesan crusted chicken can be made if you use healthy, whole food ingredients like what is in this recipe and pan fry and bake the chicken instead of deep frying.

What is the best breading for chicken parmesan?

To get an extra crispy and flavorful chicken parmesan crust without frying, I suggest using this recipe of gluten-free flour, parmesan cheese, and finely chopped almonds.

How do you get the parmesan crust to stick to chicken?

To make sure the parmesan crust sticks to the chicken, make sure to do a flour dredge, shaking off the excess flour, then an egg dip, and then the almond and parmesan dredge.