Chicken Parmigiana
Serves 4.
By Dennis W. Viau; modified from a keto recipe.
This Chicken Parmigiana is fairly standard, with one exception — it doesn’t use bread crumbs or flour in the coating mix. This eliminates some carbohydrates, making the dish more keto friendly and gluten free. However, if you’re not concerned with keto dieting or gluten, feel free to serve this with plenty of pasta.
Ingredients:
For the Marinara:
1 28-ounce (794g) can Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
¼ medium onion
2 to 3 cloves garlic
2 sprigs fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dry oregano flakes or Italian seasoning
Optional: ½ 6-ounce (170g) can tomato paste
For the Chicken Parmigiana:
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons cream, milk, or water
1 cup (110g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dry oregano flakes or Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons pure (cooking) olive oil, avocado oil, or other oil for frying
4 ounces (113g) mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced into four pieces
1 cup marinara sauce from above
Finely chopped fresh basil or Italian parsley for garnish
Directions:
To Make the Marinara:
Combine all the ingredients in the jar of a blender (no need for chopping). Blend until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes, stirring often.
To Make the Chicken Parmigiana:
Place a chicken thigh between two pieces of parchment paper. Pound the meat slightly flat with a mallet or a cast iron frying pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.
Combine the eggs and cream in a shallow bowl and blend well.
Combine the cheese and oregano in a second shallow bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Blend well.
Start heating the oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Dredge each chicken thigh in the cheese mixture, then dip in the egg mixture to coat, then dredge again in the cheese mixture. Shake off any excess. Place in the heated skillet and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. (If the thighs are large, you might be able to brown only two at a time.)
Arrange the thighs in a small baking pan and bake until cooked through (mine required 12 minutes). The internal temperature should be 170°F (77°C) when tested with a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and place a slice of mozzarella cheese on each thigh. Return to the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
Arrange the chicken on a serving plate. Top each piece with some of the marinara (reheated, if needed). Garnish lightly with fresh chopped basil or parsley and serve with your favorite vegetable. If desired, cook pasta noodles or spaghetti and sauce with the remaining marinara for serving with the chicken.
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