Servings: 4
Net carbs: approximately 2–3g per serving, depending on brands
Cooking method: skillet, air fryer, or oven

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ lb)
  • 1 cup finely crushed pork rinds
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp salt, or to taste
  • 2 large egg whites or 1 whole egg
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
  • 1–2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil for pan-frying
  • Optional: ½ tsp Italian seasoning for extra flavor

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken
    Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into thinner cutlets, or pound them to about ½-inch thickness. Pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Make the low-carb coating
    Crush the pork rinds very finely. Mix them with Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, salt, and Italian seasoning if using.
  3. Prepare the egg wash
    Whisk the egg whites (or whole egg) with the almond milk.
  4. Bread the chicken
    Dip each chicken cutlet into the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip off. Press firmly into the pork-rind mixture, coating both sides well.
  5. Pan-fry
    Heat 1–2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the cutlets for approximately 4–5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until deeply golden and the chicken reaches 165°F / 74°C internally.
  6. Keep them crispy
    Transfer cooked cutlets to a wire rack rather than stacking them on a plate. This helps prevent the bottom from becoming soggy.

Air Fryer Option

For an even lighter version:

  • Spray the breaded chicken lightly with olive or avocado oil.
  • Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for about 10–14 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  • Cook until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Oven Option

Place the breaded cutlets on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Spray lightly with oil and bake at 425°F (220°C) for about 18–22 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Why this version is low-carb

The original recipe gets most of its carbohydrates from the ½ cup of panko breadcrumbs. Crushed pork rinds contain virtually no carbs, while Parmesan adds very little carbohydrate. You therefore get the crunchy texture of breaded chicken without the traditional breadcrumb load.

For an even cleaner low-carb version: use almond flour + Parmesan instead of pork rinds. The coating won’t be quite as crunchy, but it will have a more traditional breaded-chicken flavor.