Lazy Keto Chicken Parmesan Casserole {low carb}
This Lazy Keto Chicken Parmesan Casserole is delicious and super easy to make without sacrificing flavor. This family-friendly and kid-approved easy keto recipe is perfect for a low-carb diet.
LAZY KETO CHICKEN PARMESAN
I have been craving Italian food, especially Chicken Parmesan. Since I spend my days chasing toddlers, homeschooling, and running a business, I prefer easy keto recipes for dinner.
I made this delicious Italian casserole with a low-carb marinara sauce for an easy keto-friendly meal. You could make this Lazy Low Carb Chicken Parmesan from start to finish in the crockpot, but the juices from the chicken slow-cooking tend to make the marinara sauce a bit watery. Therefore, I prefer to make a casserole with cooked shredded chicken so that all the ingredients can bake together for the most amazing flavor.
Ingredients:
- Chicken Breasts – These are going to be cooked and shredded. It won’t matter about their thickness, but thinner breasts will cook faster no matter what method you are using. If you prefer, you can use chicken thighs for added fat.
- Marinara Sauce – There are several keto-friendly marinara sauces available. Make sure to look at the ingredients to find one with no sugar-added. I’ve included a list in this post with several different options.
- Zucchini – This vegetable is the perfect low-carb alternative for noodles. Once spiralized, they cook quickly and have a nice texture to stand in for high-carb pasta.
- Grated Cheeses – It’s always best to grate your cheese for Lazy Keto Chicken Parmesan Casserole when following a keto diet. Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese make a fabulous combination in this recipe. Most pre-shredded cheeses contain fillers to keep the cheese from sticking together, which can add carbs.
Below is a step-by-step pictorial for those who need a visual. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card with the full ingredient list and detailed instructions.
Step 1: First, cook your chicken breasts in the crockpot for the shredded chicken. Once the chicken is ready, preheat the oven and grease a 13×9-inch casserole baking dish. Place the cooked, shredded chicken breasts in the dish. Make sure to check out how to make shredded chicken in the crockpot for detailed instructions.
Step 2: Pour the jar of marinara sauce on top of the chicken and sprinkle the parmesan cheese along with mozzarella cheese and Italian seasonings.
Step 3: Bake until the cheese is slightly browned and bubbly.
Step 4: Spiralize the zucchini into noodles. Saute them in butter, salt, and pepper for three or four minutes.
Tips:
- Try sprinkling a little parmesan cheese on the top right before you eat them, for just a little more added flavor.
- To add Italian flavor to the shredded chicken, I sprinkle a little Italian seasoning or garlic powder before adding the marinara sauce.
- Zucchini has high water content. Place the sauteed zucchini on paper towels so that some of the moisture drains.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN PARMESAN KETO-FRIENDLY
While this recipe is not the same Chicken Parm you’ll find at Italian restaurants, it’s a fantastic alternative. I used shredded chicken, a low-carb marinara sauce, and then served it over zoodles to make Chicken Parmesan keto-friendly. Zoodles are very low carb and are made by spiralizing zucchini into the shape of noodles.
HOW TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN
For the most tender and flavorful chicken, I slow cook chicken breasts in my crockpot all day. I simply cover the chicken breasts with chicken broth and salt and pepper. Then, at dinner, the chicken is ready to shred for the base of Low Carb Chicken Parmesan Casserole. Check out these step-by-step instructions for making how to make shredded chicken in the crock-pot. You could cook the chicken in the Instant Pot if you prefer, or grab a rotisserie chicken for convenience.
WHERE DO YOU FIND LOW-CARB MARINARA SAUCE?
While I know that homemade is best, I choose my battles. Instead of making a homemade marinara sauce, I used a jarred variety. I have found several flavorful marinara sauces with no added sugars that are low in carbs. The lowest carb sauce is Rao’s brand. Other options are Mezzetta’s and the ALDI’s marinara sauce. My local Walmart carries both the Rao’s and the Mezzetta’s.
Low Carb Pizza Sauce Options without any added sugars:
- Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce – 4g net carbs per ½ cup
- Rao’s Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce – 3g net carbs per ½ cup
- Lucini Italia Organic Tuscan Marinara Sauce – 3g net carbs per ½ cup
- Lucini Italia Organic Rustic Tomato Basil – 3g net carbs per ½ cup
- Mezzetta Napa Valley Homemade Sauce Marinara – 6g net carbs per ½ cup
- ALDI Simply Selected Premium Marinara – 5g net carbs per ½ cup
HOW TO MAKE ZUCCHINI NOODLES
I used a cheap spiralizer to make zucchini zoodles while the Low Carb Chicken Parmesan Casserole was in the oven. There are many larger countertop spiralizers, but I wanted something simple that wouldn’t take up space in my kitchen. I sauteed the zoodles in about a tablespoon of butter with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Then, I laid them on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. You can follow these instructions for spiralizing zoodles.
While this isn’t a traditional Chicken Parmesan recipe, it turned out delicious. There are times I need quick options for dinner, like this recipe. The incredible Italian flavors of this dish shine through, and the ease of preparation made this recipe a keeper.
WHAT GOES GREAT WITH CHICKEN PARMESAN?
I typically make a leafy garden salad with mixed greens to go with this low-carb Chicken Parmesan recipe. Other options include roasted broccoli or asparagus for a simple keto-friendly side dish if you miss bread, Keto Cheddar Garlic Biscuits, or Keto Cheesy Garlic Chaffle bread pair perfectly.
KETO DIET FOLLOWERS: HOW TO BREAD CHICKEN INSTEAD OF SHREDDED CHICKEN
If you prefer the standard fried chicken breasts in chicken parmesan, it can still be made keto-friendly. In this particular recipe, my focus was easy, so I used shredded chicken instead. However, you can make Keto Fried Chicken breasts with that traditional bread crumbs taste with an egg mixture and coconut flour, almond flour, or crushed pork rinds.
More Keto Recipes:
If you love this easy and delicious keto chicken parmesan, check out more low-carb recipes below!
- Yummy Low Carb Chicken Casserole
- Low Carb Chicken Pot Pie
- Keto Baked Chicken Fajitas
- Italian Meatball Casserole
What is a good example of a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet?
If you are just getting started on a low carb/keto, diet research is key. I recommend taking a look at this Guide to Getting Started on Keto. I also post free weekly keto meal plans for inspiration.
Lazy Chicken Parmesan {keto / low carb}
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked chicken breasts, shredded (I made mine in the slow cooker)
- 1 jar of no sugar added marinara sauce (Rao's, Mezzettas, and ALI brand are good choices)
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 to 3 zucchinis spiralized
- 1/2 tbsp butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 13 X 9 casserole dish.
- Place cooked shredded chicken breasts in the bottom of the dish.
- Pour the jar of marinara sauce on top.
- Sprinkle parmesan cheese, then mozzarella cheese on top.
- Top with Italian seasoning.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.
- Spiralize zucchini noodles and saute in butter, salt, and pepper for 3-4 minutes.
- Set the zucchini noodles aside on a paper towel for a few minutes to drain off any excess moisture.
- Serve the Low Carb Parmesan chicken on zucchini noodles.
Video
Notes
Low Carb Pizza Sauce Options without any added sugars:
- Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce – 4g net carbs per ½ cup
- Rao’s Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce – 3g net carbs per ½ cup
- Lucini Italia Organic Tuscan Marinara Sauce – 3g net carbs per ½ cup
- Lucini Italia Organic Rustic Tomato Basil – 3g net carbs per ½ cup
- Mezzetta Napa Valley Homemade Sauce Marinara – 6g net carbs per ½ cup
- ALDI Simply Selected Premium Marinara – 5g net carbs per ½ cup
Nutrition
Whenever I made zoodles there is always a lot of water that puddles on the plate. Any suggestions for what I am doing wrong?
I drained them first. Veggies have a very high water content so that is pretty normal.
Salt it and let the salt pull the excess water out of the squash before you cook it.
Great tip. Thanks so much!
Don’t peel the skin off. It holds the water in. Cook it for only a couple minutes until warm to keep them from getting mushy.
Thanks for the tip!
How many ounces of sauce do you use?
I’m pretty sure it was a 24oz jar.
What is the serving size for this recipe? Looks delicious!
I didn’t measure. I just divided my casserole dish into equal servings.
What temperature do we bake this at?
I am looking for the temp as well.
Sorry about that! I have updated the recipe with the baking time. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.
Could baked spaghetti squash be used instead of Zoodles ?
It would change the nutritional info but I’m sure you could use it. Let me know how it turns out.
Do you have measurements for serving sizes?
No, I don’t measure. I simply divide it evenly by the number of servings listed at the top of the recipe card.
Appx how many lbs of raw chicken breast would I buy for this. Not a fan of most precooked chicken
Hey Jo, so I precook my chicken in bulk and shred it for the freezer. However, one shredded medium chicken breast is just a little over a cup of chicken. I hope this answers your questions.