Enjoy crispy, oven baked Gluten Free Parmesan Chicken that tastes even better than the original! This easy parmesan crusted chicken recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes using affordable and simple ingredients!
Ingredients Needed
Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan is a crispy, oven baked chicken dish, loaded with flavor, and uses basic ingredients you may already have in your pantry. With a prep time of 10 minutes and a cook time of 20 minutes, you can whip up this easy recipe in no time!
Marinara:
Make a quick and simple homemade marinara using a can of crushed tomatoes, garlic, and spices. For easier dinner prep, substitute a jar of your favorite store bought marinara sauce.
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Crushed tomatoes
- Salt
- Sugar
- Dried oregano
- Dried basil
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Gluten Free Breaded Chicken:
The gluten free breading is made up of gluten free bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Use store bought bread crumbs or opt to easily make your own to save some money!
For a low carb parmesan chicken option, skip the breadcrumbs and use this almond flour chicken recipe for the breading. If you love almond flour recipes, try low carb eggplant parmesan as well!
- Chicken breasts, cut into thin cutlets for shorter cooking time
- Olive oil
- Gluten free bread crumbs
- Parmesan
- Cornstarch (binds the gluten free breading together)
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper
How To Make Easy Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan
One bite of this gluten free chicken parmigiana and you will feel like you’ve been transported to a 5-star Italian restaurant, or maybe even the coast of Italy! Top this easy-to-make comfort food with a delicious homemade marinara sauce and melted cheese, and watch it disappear!
Quick Marinara:
- To get started, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and saute for 30 seconds.
- Next, remove the pan from the burner to avoid splatter and add the crushed tomatoes and seasonings to the pan. Bring the pan back to the burner and bring your sauce to a boil. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat and bring down to a simmer.
- Cook your sauce, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until reduced and slightly thickened.
Gluten Free Breaded Chicken:
- To begin, preheat your oven to 425 degrees and grease a baking sheet.
- Next, mix together the gluten free bread crumbs, grated parmesan, cornstarch, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Drizzle olive oil over the chicken breast cutlets, and toss to evenly coat the chicken with oil. One at a time, place each chicken cutlet into the breading mixture to coat on both sides. Transfer the breaded chicken to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with each cutlet until all the pieces are coated.
- Bake for 10 minutes, flip the chicken, and continue to bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Once cooked through, remove your chicken from the oven, move the oven rack to the upper position and preheat the broiler.
- Push the baked chicken together into the center of the pan and sprinkle the top with grated cheese.
- Finally, broil the chicken for two minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Top with marinara sauce and serve with gluten free pasta for an unforgettable meal.
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Gluten Free Bread Crumbs
Gluten free bread crumbs can either be store bought, or made easily at home with any leftover gluten free bread you may have on hand. You can even use stale bread, as long as there is no mold.
The bread heels that are often discarded are great for making gluten free bread crumbs. I keep a ziplock bag in my freezer and every time I have a heel that isn’t getting used, it gets thrown into the bag. Once I have a supply, I’ll make a quick batch of gluten free bread crumbs to store back in the freezer.
What to serve with Parmesan Chicken
For a traditional flair, serve Parmesan Crusted Chicken with pasta or gluten-free risotto. I prefer to use spaghetti, but you can use whatever type of pasta you like – just make sure it is gluten free.
If you aren’t in the mood for pasta, here are some other gluten free side dishes that will make a great companion for your chicken dish:
- Gluten-Free Fettuccine Alfredo
- Homemade Gluten Free Gnocchi
- Mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower
- Sauteed Zucchini or Roasted Zucchini
- Rice
- Crispy Oven Roasted Cabbage Steaks
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Polenta
- Harvest Salad
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I bread the chicken with something besides breadcrumbs?
Yes. Other gluten free options include, blanched almond flour, crushed potato chips, gluten free crackers, or crushed cereal, like corn or rice Chex.
Do I have to bread it?
No, you don’t need to use breading. You can make chicken parmesan without breadcrumbs that is just as tasty as traditional parmesan crusted chicken, but without the extra calories. For low carb chicken parmesan, follow this gluten-free almond flour chicken recipe for the breading.
Can I make this in the air fryer?
Yes. Use an air fryer to save time while maintaining crispy breading.
- Preheat air fryer to 390ºF. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. To avoid overcrowding the chicken and keeping the breading crispy, you may have to work in batches.
- Place breaded chicken in prepared basket and cook for 5 minutes. Flip chicken over and bake for an additional 4-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken.
How can I make healthy gluten free chicken parmesan?
Make this recipe healthier is by leaving the breading or cheese off the chicken. Also serving chicken parmesan with vegetables, instead of pasta, lightens the overall calories.
Making Chicken Cutlets
Most stores carry thin cut chicken breasts, but you can also easily make your own. Take standard chicken breasts and slice them through the middle to make two thinner halves. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken into an even thickness.
Can I use other types of cheese?
You can absolutely use other types of cheese. Mozzarella is a cow’s milk cheese that is often used in Italian cooking. To keep the flavor I recommend substituting provolone, havari, gruyere, fontina, or gouda.
More Gluten Free Chicken Recipes
- Cranberry Chicken Salad – Tender bites of chicken in a creamy, tangy dressing dotted with fresh apples, crisp celery, and sweet dried cranberries.
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili – Be ready to win chili contests and hand out the recipe because this is the best chili you’ll ever make!
- Sun Dried Tomato Chicken (Creamy LOW CARB Chicken) – A quick, one pan chicken skillet recipe with bold rich flavors like sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic and artichokes in a parmesan cream sauce.
- Gluten Free Sweet and Sour Chicken – Make this easy dish at home with one pan, no frying, and a sticky, tangy gluten free sweet sour sauce coating golden, crispy chicken.
- Ultimate Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole – An easy tetrazzini recipe with chicken, noodles, and sautéed mushrooms tossed in a made from scratch creamy sauce covered with golden cheese.
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Crispy Gluten Free Parmesan Chicken (No Frying)
Ingredients
Quick Marinara
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Gluten Free Breaded Chicken
- 1 ½ – 2 pounds chicken breasts butterflied into thin cutlets (see recipe notes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ½ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated mozzarella
Instructions
Marinara
- Over medium heat in a medium saucepan, heat oil. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.1 tablespoon olive oil,2 cloves garlic
- Remove pan from burner to avoid splatter. Add crushed tomatoes and remaining marinara seasonings. Bring pan back to the burner, bring to a boil, then simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until reduced and slightly thickened.28 ounces crushed tomatoes,¾ teaspoon salt,½ teaspoon sugar,¼ teaspoon dried oregano,¼ teaspoon dried basil,pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Gluten Free Breaded Chicken
- Preheat oven to 425°F. On a baking sheet spread ½ tablespoon olive oil to grease pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl mix together, gluten free breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, cornstarch, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix together breading with a fork.½ cup gluten free breadcrumbs,½ cup grated Parmesan,1 tablespoon cornstarch,¾ teaspoon garlic powder,¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning,¼ teaspoon salt,⅛ teaspoon pepper
- Drizzle remaining 1 ½ tablespoons olive over chicken breast cutlets and toss to evenly coat chicken with oil. Place a chicken cutlet, one at a time, in the breading mixture. Press down slightly and use the fork to flip over and coat other side. Transfer breaded chicken to greased baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken.1 ½ – 2 pounds chicken breasts,2 tablespoons olive oil
- Bake for 10 minutes, flip chicken, and then continue cooking for 5-10 minutes more, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from oven, move oven rack to upper position, and preheat broiler.
- Move baked chicken together so it is all in the middle of the pan. Sprinkle grated cheese over top.1 ½ cups freshly grated mozzarella
- Broil for 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted and starts to brown. Top with sauce and serve with cooked gluten free pasta.
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Equipment Needed
Recipe Notes
How to Make Chicken Cutlets
- First make a deep slit in the middle of the breast, lengthwise.
- Cut all the way across until you almost reach other side, so it will open like a book.
- Cut down the middle of the crease. You end up with two, thinner thickness halves.
- To make sure the chicken breasts cook evenly they should be even thickness throughout. At this point use a meat tenderizer to pound the chicken into even thickness. If you don’t have a meat tenderizer mallet, gently pounding with a rolling pin will also work.
Air Fryer Baking Directions
- Preheat air fryer to 390ºF. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. To avoid overcrowding the chicken and keeping the breading crispy, you may have to work in batches.
- Place breaded chicken in prepared basket and cook for 5 minutes. Flip chicken over and bake for an additional 4-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Remove and keep warm while the remaining chicken is cooked.
Nutrition
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Kay says
I made this recipe just as is. This was the most disgusting looking chicken I have ever made. The seasoned bread crumbs were left on the baking sheet. I flipped the chicken over after 10 minutes. Baked another 15 minutes to crisp the chicken but the bread crumbs turned to glue. I probably will make this again but I will fry my chicken in oil before baking it. Otherwise, the seasoning smelled very good and making the recipe was easy. Just too much GOO.
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Kay,
I’m so sorry the recipe did not work out for you. I spend a lot of time and effort testing my recipes and I would never intentionally publish something that didn’t have excellent results. It sounds like there may have been an issue with the breadcrumbs. Were they purchased or homemade? Again, I apologize you had a frustrating experience. I never want that to happen.
Best,
Melissa