Zoodle Chicken Parmesan Walnut (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For the Crust
01 -
1/2 cup whole walnuts, crushed until broken into pieces
02 -
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
03 -
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan
04 -
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
05 -
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
06 -
A good shake of salt and fresh black pepper
→ For the Chicken
07 -
6 chicken breasts (roughly 1 1/2 pounds)
08 -
2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking
09 -
6 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
10 -
1/2 cup marinara sauce (add more if you want!)
→ For the Zoodles
11 -
3 medium zucchinis, turned into noodles
12 -
1 teaspoon olive oil
13 -
1 tablespoon water
14 -
Fresh basil leaves, ripped for topping
# Instructions:
01 -
Set your oven to 425°F with the rack in the middle. Crush the walnuts in a food processor until they look like panko. In a flat dish, combine the crushed walnuts, panko, parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and mix them all together.
02 -
Pour the olive oil into a big oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Roll each chicken breast in the walnut mix, pressing a bit so it sticks. Put 2-3 pieces in the hot pan and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until they're golden and crunchy. They'll finish cooking in the oven, so don't worry if they're not done yet.
03 -
Put the pan with chicken in the hot oven and cook for 4-8 minutes until the meat feels firm and is cooked through. Put a spoonful of marinara and a slice of mozzarella on each piece. Switch to broil and cook for about a minute until the cheese gets bubbly and a little brown.
04 -
While the chicken bakes (before adding cheese), warm a teaspoon of oil in another pan over medium heat. Toss in the zucchini noodles and cook for 1-2 minutes. Splash a tablespoon of water over them and once it sizzles, cover the pan for 1-2 minutes until they're soft but still a bit crunchy.
05 -
Make a bed of warm zoodles on each plate, add extra marinara if you like, and put a piece of the walnut-coated chicken parm on top. Sprinkle with torn fresh basil and eat right away while it's hot and gooey.
# Notes:
01 -
This better-for-you spin on chicken parm swaps in ground walnuts instead of regular breadcrumbs for extra protein and fewer carbs.
02 -
Want the crunchiest chicken? Try serving the marinara on the side rather than pouring it on top before baking.
03 -
Using zucchini noodles makes this a filling low-carb dinner that doesn't skimp on flavor.