Parmesan Crusted Chicken

This perfectly crispy Parmesan-crusted chicken recipe is an easy low-carb chicken dinner made in just 15 minutes. Chicken is coated with mayo for extra moist chicken, breaded with parmesan, and pan-fried.

If you love parmesan and chicken together, then you must give this delectable Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken a try.

Crispy Golden Parmesan-crusted chicken is a quick and easy way to get juicy pan-fried chicken for dinner, but it is also way more flavorful. Boneless chicken breast is first coated with Mayonnaise and then breaded with parmesan cheese. It is pan-fried until cooked through, and the crust turns nice and crispy golden brown.

This parmesan-crusted chicken is low-carb and gluten-free. But if you are not under any dietary restrictions, you can substitute almond flour for all-purpose flour in the Parmesan mixture.

Why use both mayonnaise and parmesan cheese?

The typical way to make pan-fried chicken is to use a combination of egg wash and bread crumbs. The egg wash acts as a binder; the coating of it on the chicken helps the breadcrumbs stick to the surface. The bread crumbs give a very crisp texture to the chicken.

We are taking this fried chicken approach to another level. While egg wash is commonly used, it is not high in flavor, and the bread crumbs just give a crispier texture and a golden color without adding any flavor. Yes, you can season them with herbs and spices, but we can certainly do better than that.

Let’s up the flavor of breaded and fried chicken by using Mayonnaise and seasoned parmesan cheese.

Why Mayonnaise? Because Mayo does a couple of things here: it not only binds the grated parmesan but also offers a rich and creamy taste. Mayo, when it heats up, forms a barrier that helps lock in the moisture in the chicken and keeps it juicy and tender.

Parmesan cheese is better than bread crumbs. While offering a crispy crust on top, it has a savory and umami taste that is so much better.

Ingredients For the Recipe

The parmesan-crusted chicken recipe calls for a handful of ingredients, and most of them are pantry staples.

• Boneless skinless Chicken breast – makes for quick cooking, as breast pieces take just a few minutes. You may also go with chicken thighs, but allocate more time for them to cook. You will have to reduce the heat to avoid letting the crust burn while the thighs cook.
• Low-carb mayonnaise – offers a creamy and rich texture.
• Sriracha, or Hot sauce – adds some heat and complex flavor to the creamy mayo.
• Parmesan cheese – the savory and umami taste makes a flavorful breading.
• Italian seasoning – enhances the flavor profile of the breaded parmesan.
• Almond flour – is mixed with parmesan and helps it stick to the coated mayo better. It also is a gluten-free alternative.

Tips to make the Best Parmesan Crusted Chicken

• Prepare Chicken: You need Boneless chicken breast. If it’s too thick, cut it horizontally into cutlets. This is to ensure uniform cooking.
• Mayonnaise coating: Recipes in general call for egg coating. I have tried both egg and mayo coatings. Though egg coating works, I found a coating of mayo gives extra richness and keeps the chicken super moist. I have added a dash of Sriracha to the mayo for an extra kick. If you are following Keto, use keto-friendly Mayonnaise.

• Coat with parmesan: For the cheese to stick well, use grated cheese rather than shredded. You could use a zester or fine grater to grate the cheese. Add some Italian seasoning to the cheese for some flavor.

• Fresh parmesan: Parmesan freshly grated at home is much better than store-bought ones.
• Medium-high heat: Cooking the chicken breast on medium-high heat ensures the coating gets crisp and golden brown while the inside cooks just right without overcooking and tasting chewy.

Serve with

Another easy and quick chicken breast recipe worth adding to your dinner menu. I can give you a few healthy options to make it a low-carb meal.

• Salads – Serve it with a fresh Italian salad, Easy and Zesty Quinoa Salad.
• Sauteed vegetables – Sauteed veggies like this Cheesy Garlic Green Beans, Asian Green Beans or Zucchini Stir Fry.
• Roasted – Roast some in the oven like Red Potatoes, Carrots With Parmesan or Brussels Sprouts.
• Mash – A flavorful mash like my Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes or a low-carb Creamy Cauliflower mash.
• Potatoes – Potatoes make an excellent side dish to chicken mains. Try out Crispy Skillet Potatoes, Cheesy Ranch Potatoes or Baked Greek Potato Wedges.

More low-carb chicken Recipes

Mushroom Spinach Stuffed Chicken breast – A twist on cooking chicken breasts with a mushroom spinach stuffing

Cajun Chicken with vegetables – One skillet meal for a busy day with juicy chicken and lots of vegetables

Creamy Pesto Chicken – Chicken cooked in a creamy sauce made with fresh pesto and cherry tomatoes

Grilled Chicken With buttermilk marinade – Chicken is marinated with buttermilk, garlic, herbs, and spices.

Low Carb Chicken Taco Soup – Packed with taco flavors, this hearty chicken soup is made in under 30 minutes.

Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry – A quick stir-fry with juicy chicken, crispy broccoli with a killer Asian sauce.

Maple Mustard Sheet Pan Chicken – Juicy chicken in maple mustard dressing that you can easily bake and meal prep.