Baked Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini Noodles (Printable version)

Crispy baked chicken with marinara and cheese over spiralized zucchini for a wholesome low-carb Italian meal.

# What you need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

→ Coating

05 - 1/2 cup almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs
06 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
08 - 1 large egg

→ Topping

09 - 1 cup marinara sauce
10 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

→ Zucchini Noodles

13 - 4 medium zucchini (about 2 lbs), spiralized
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
03 - In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg until smooth. In another bowl, combine almond flour (or breadcrumbs), grated Parmesan cheese, and Italian herbs. Mix well.
04 - Dip each chicken breast in the egg, allowing excess to drip off, then dredge in the almond flour mixture. Press gently to ensure coating adheres evenly.
05 - Place coated chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
06 - Remove chicken from the oven. Spoon marinara sauce evenly over each breast, then top with shredded mozzarella and additional Parmesan cheese.
07 - Return to the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
08 - While the chicken bakes, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini noodles and sauté for 2–3 minutes until just tender. Season with salt and pepper.
09 - To serve, divide zucchini noodles among four plates. Top each with a piece of baked chicken parmesan. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The almond flour coating gets incredibly crispy while staying completely gluten free
  • Everything bakes on one sheet pan so cleanup is practically nonexistent
  • Zucchini noodles let you indulge in that massive portion feeling without the post pasta coma
02 -
  • Dont skip patting the chicken dry, any moisture will prevent the coating from sticking properly
  • Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes after baking so the juices redistribute
  • Zucchini noodles cook much faster than pasta, watch closely to avoid them getting mushy
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer to check doneness, nobody wants dry overcooked chicken
  • Room temperature chicken will cook more evenly than cold from the fridge

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