Chicken Parmesan in a Lentil Crust

Ingredients:

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 cup red lentils
• 0.5 cup almond flour
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 chicken breasts, 6 oz (170 g) each, skinless and boneless, cut in half horizontally into 8 thin cutlets
• 1.5 tbsp. marinara sauce
• 0.5 cups grated semi-skimmed mozzarella
• 1/4 tbsp. grated Parmesan or Gouda
• Basil leaves for serving

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly spray a large baking sheet with olive oil. Place the lentils in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add flour, Italian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and pulse again.
2. Transfer the flour mixture to a shallow bowl. Coat each chicken piece in the mixture, shaking off any excess.
3. Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with oil and bake until cooked through, 20–25 minutes. Top with marinara sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese and return to the oven until the cheese is bubbly, another 5–10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve.