Access to all articles, new health classes, discounts in our store, and more!
Parmesan Fried Chicken

With a crispy crust and juicy meat, this amazing recipe has quickly become a family favorite in our house. The ingredients are simple and nutritious – the chicken is coated with a grain-free mixture of Parmesan and arrowroot and fried to perfection in a combination of butter and coconut oil.
Serves 5
Ingredients
- 5 skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese,* lightly packed
- ½ cup arrowroot starch
- ¼ teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 egg, preferably from pastured hens
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 tablespoon grassfed butter
- 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil
Directions
- Debone the chicken thighs. (I save and freeze the bones until I have accumulated enough of them to make a pot of homemade chicken bone broth.)
- In a pie plate (or other wide-bottomed dish), combine the Parmesan, arrowroot, salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir with a fork to combine.
- Break the egg into a medium bowl. Add the milk and beat with a fork until well combined.
- Set up the work-line with the chicken followed by the egg mixture and then the Parmesan mixture.
- Dip each chicken thigh into the egg mixture and then into the Parmesan mixture. Coat all sides of the chicken with both mixtures.
- Once all of the chicken is coated, melt the butter and coconut oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. I use a 12-inch stainless steel skillet for this recipe.
- When the butter and coconut oil are shimmery-hot, add the chicken to the skillet. My skillet is large enough to cook all 5 chicken thighs at once, but if your skillet is smaller, you may need to cook a few at a time. If desired, cover the skillet with a splatter screen to cut down on the mess on the stovetop.
- Cook the chicken for about 8-10 minutes, until it has developed a nicely browned crust. Then flip the chicken, and cook the other side for 8-10 minutes. Do not move the chicken around much once it is cooking, as that will prevent the crust from cooking properly and make the chicken more likely to stick to the skillet. You may need to reduce the heat to medium if the skillet starts to get overly hot.
- Use a probe thermometer to check the temperature in the thickest part of a chicken thigh. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165˚ F. This is an important step that ensures the chicken will be cooked perfectly.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving. The rest time allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
- Serve and enjoy! I love to serve Parmesan Fried Chicken with potatoes and buttered vegetables or coleslaw.
* I like to use the small holes on a box grater to grate the Parmesan.
Reprinted with permission from www.nourishedandnurturedlife.com.
About the Author
Sarah R. Smith is a homeopath, homesteader, and homeschooling mother of two. She has been studying nutrition and health since 2005, when she was first introduced to the work of Drs. Weston A. Price and Francis M. Pottenger, Jr. Sarah has been writing about real food and health on her website (www.nourishedandnurturedlife.com) since 2011. She is the author of two eCookbooks, Nourishing Eats (2012) and Nourished Cooking (2013). Sarah also serves on the board of the Raw Milk Institute. As a homeopath, she works with children and adults to heal acute and chronic imbalances, leading to healthier, happier lives. In addition, she teaches homeopathy classes in her local community.
Check out other Sarah R. Smith recipes:
Bamya – Egyptian Meat and Okra Stew
Published in the Price-Pottenger Journal of Health & Healing
Fall 2019 | Volume 43, Number 2
Copyright © 2019 Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, Inc.®
All Rights Reserved Worldwide