Keto Chicken Parmesan Casserole

5 from 1 vote

Keto Chicken Parmesan Casserole

This Low Carb Chicken Parmesan Casserole Recipe is absolutely packed with flavor, an easy keto friendly, gluten free meal! It has only 8 net carbs per serving, with cheesy zucchini, fresh mozzarella, marinara sauce, and crispy chicken strips. This meal is guaranteed to become a family favorite.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian, Italian-American

Servings: servings

Calories: 592kcal

Author: Briana

Ingredients

For the seasoning mixture (used on the zucchini filling and the chicken parmesan 'breading'):

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the chicken parmesan tenders:

1 tablespoon heavy cream
2 pounds chicken breast cutlets (could use tenders)
1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 ounces pork rind crumbs (about 1.5 cups)
2 ounces shredded parmesan cheese (about ½ a cup)
Avocado oil for frying chicken, about 2 inches deep in your skillet (not included in the nutrition facts, because we don't know how much oil your chicken will absorb.

For the cheesy zucchini casserole mixture:

26 ounces zucchini
1 teaspoon kosher salt (to drain excess water from the zucchini)
28 ounces marinara sauce
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
16 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
5 ounces shredded parmesan cheese
16 ounces ricotta
1 ounce fresh basil (optional)

Instructions

Start by salting your zucchini with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and setting on paper towel while you work on the rest to draw out excess moisture.

For the chicken parmesan:

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Reserve some of the salt and pepper to add to the breading. Heat the avocado oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Your skillet should be at least 10.25". We use a 12” size.
In a shallow bowl, whisk together egg and heavy cream, then create a dredging station with the pork rind crumbs, shredded parmesan cheese, and remaining salt and pepper, and half the dry seasoning mix.
Dredge the chicken cutlets in the egg wash, then in the pork rind and parmesan seasoning mixture. Press the chicken in to coat well with a thick coating. Drop into hot oil (keep oil between 350°F and 375°F) and fry in batches until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes on each side. After cooking, set aside on a cooling rack over paper towel to catch excess grease.

For the casserole:

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Dry zucchini with paper towel, getting rid of as much excess water as possible. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, half the parmesan, shredded mozzarella, half of the marinara sauce, some fresh basil, remaining dry seasonings, and mix. Add to the casserole dish.
Top the zucchini mixture with chicken pieces, then cover the chicken with remaining marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, and parmesan cheese all over top of the casserole. Place in the oven and bake until golden and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Cover the casserole with foil if the cheese is browning too much and the zucchini still isn’t soft. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!

Notes

We did not include oil for frying in the nutrition facts because it's impossible to know how much oil your chicken will absorb. The size of your skillet will also determine how much oil you should use. (You will need enough oil to make sure it is 2 inches deep).
The marinara sauce you use can determine the amount of sugar and carbs in the meal. We love Rao's Homemade.
If you don't eat pork, you can probably use almond flour in its place to bread the chicken tenders. We haven't actually tried it ourselves. Just be aware that it will burn faster.
Make sure to take the extra step of removing excess water from the zucchini to reduce water pooling up at the bottom of your casserole.

Nutrition