Low-Carb Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

Nothing is easier or faster than this delicious Italian supper. This low-carb air fryer chicken recipe is perfect for your next family dinner!

WHAT IS CHICKEN PARMESAN?

Also known as chicken parmigiana or the shorter chicken parm, chicken parmesan is a dish that consists of breaded chicken, tomato sauce, and cheese. The chicken is then served over a bed of noodles.

While mozzarella cheese is normally used, some cheese variations include swiss, provolone, and of course, parmesan.

This chicken dish can be found as a staple at Italian restaurants around the country and has been turned into several other dishes including subs or sandwiches.

This recipe ditches traditional breading for crushed pork rinds and spaghetti squash for the noodles. Easy, quick, and low carb all the way!

AIR FRYER CHICKEN PARMESAN INGREDIENTS

Before you try to make this delicious low carb recipe, make sure you have the following ingredients on hand.

• 4 chicken breasts
• 24 oz Low-Carb Copycat Rao’s Marinara Sauce
• 1 spaghetti squash
• 2 cups pork rind breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
• salt and pepper, pinch

After you have all of this, you’re set and ready to go!

HOW TO MAKE LOW CARB CHICKEN PARMESAN

1. Begin by lightly seasoning the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper
2. Dip the breasts into the pork rind breadcrumbs mixture, rolling to lightly cover
3. Run each breast through the egg wash and coat again with pork rind breadcrumbs
4. Place the breasts into the air fryer basket and cook at 380˚F for 20 – 25 minutes until the breading is crispy and breasts are cooked through
5. While the breasts are cooking, place the tomato sauce on a small saucepan or pot on the stove over medium heat; stir occasionally until heated
6. Using a knife, poke 6 – 8 holes in the spaghetti squash and microwave for 10 – 12 minutes, depending on size
7. Carefully remove the squash from the microwave and cut in half longways
8. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing the middle section of seeds and darker squash material
9. After the seeds are removed, use a fork to turn the lighter squash into spaghetti noodles
10. Place 3/4 cup of noodles on a plate, top with chicken breast, sauce, and a sprinkle of cheese
11. Eat and enjoy!

IS LOW CARB CHICKEN PARMESAN GLUTEN FREE?

Yes, this dish is completely gluten free.

Even though the chicken is breaded and baked, the breading is crushed pork rinds which contain no gluten. And, since the noodles come from a squash, they are gluten free as well!

CHOOSING NOODLES FOR LOW CARB AIR FRYER CHICKEN PARMESAN

Since chicken parmesan recipes we are used to are always served overtop a bed of pasta (usually spaghetti), we might as well make this recipe as authentic as possible.

Using a low-carb or keto-friendly noodle is a great way to make this dish even more satisfying and delicious. This recipe calls for spaghetti squash but other types of noodles can be substituted in their place.

Here are some ideas and information about different noodles you can use with this recipe.

SHIRATAKI NOODLES

If you aren’t familiar with shirataki noodles, these noodles are made from the root of konjac yam.

The word shirataki itself means white waterfall, which is a very accurate description of the appearance of the noodles.

In the United States, these noodles are normally found packaged in water. They are great for those on keto/low-carb diets because they are made up of water and glucomannan, which is a soluble fiber.

They are very, very low in digestible carbohydrates.

As a note of caution, be wary of shirataki noodles that contain all kinds of added ingredients. Some of the newer brands contain several non-keto ingredients as fillers instead of just the main shirataki ingredients.

ZUCCHINI NOODLES (ZOODLES)

If you prefer to not use shirataki noodles or spaghetti squash, using zucchini noodles (also known as zoodles) is the next best option. These noodles can easily be made using a spiralizer with a zucchini.

There are, however, some other harder methods to make zoodles.

One piece of advice is to salt the zoodles lightly. Let sit for about three minutes, then pat dry. Depending on how much water content the zucchini has, this can help draw out some of the moisture and make the noodles hold up better, especially when cooked.

You can find lots of information over at Living Well Mom on some different methods of making zoodles.

“LOW-CARB” OR “KETO” PASTAS

This is the worst type of noodle you should consider using and should be used as a “last-ditch” alternative. There is an increasing number of pasta brands that tout themselves as “keto” or “low-carb.”

While some can deliver on some of their promises, most use sketchy science to lower their carbohydrate content.

As a general rule, you should steer clear of these types of products as they are full of false promises. If nothing else, they are also full of questionable fillers and other ingredients.

Having said that, if there is a brand of this pasta that you use and it works for you on your keto/low-carb journey, then, by all means, use it. We are all different and our bodies can tolerate different things and still lose weight.

However, if you have never tried these kinds of pasta before, it is best to not start.

DO I HAVE TO USE RAO’S TOMATO SAUCE?

No, you do not. You are welcome to use whatever sauce you prefer the most.

We recommend it because it is one of the few sauces that isn’t made with extra ingredients, fillers, or added sugars.

Rao’s also, while bearing a premium price tag in comparison to the other mass produced sauces, is the most tasty and delicious tomato sauce we’ve ever had.

It will far surpass taste and quality of larger name brands and most Italian restaurants as well. It really is that delicious!

STORING LOW-CARB CHICKEN PARMESAN

Storing any leftovers you may have, like with most all recipes, is super easy and quick!

Simply place them into an air-tight container and pop them into the fridge. Ideally, you should plan to eat your leftovers within a few days. After that, you’ll probably want to discard any leftovers you may have.

WHAT TO PAIR WITH LOW CARB AIR FRYER CHICKEN PARMESAN

While this recipe is totally a meal all to itself, there are plenty of other things you might choose to pair with it.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

• Keto Strawberry Pretzel Salad
• Keto Chocolate Ice Cream
• Keto Butter Pecan Ice Cream
• Low Carb/Keto-Friendly Lemonade
• Keto Rum and Tonic

For more ideas, you can check out our recipe index.

TOOLS USED TO MAKE AIR FRYER CHICKEN PARMESAN

Click on the links to see the items used in making this recipe. You can also find these products linked in the recipe below.

• Air Fryer – In case you haven’t figured it out by now, an air fryer is the cornerstone utensil used to make this delicious recipe. One of these wonderful appliances will open the door to all kinds of quick and delicious recipes! Air fryers are easy to use, much quicker than a conventional oven, and take up very little room on your countertops. If you don’t have one, make today the day!

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