Better than a restaurant’s version!

I recently ordered Malibu Chicken at a restaurant that was noted for it. To be frank, it disappointed me. The skinny chicken piece tasted bland and dry, even the breading brought little flavor to the meal. I figured it wasn’t that hard to make and I could substitute a low carb breading pretty easily.

I found this recipe at Low Carb Maven’s website and made a couple of changes to it. She used crushed pork rinds for the breading, which is okay, but my experience with them in the past was that they came out soggy. I substituted with an almond flour topping. It also tends to get a little too moist from the chicken, but I think it tastes better than the pork rinds. You can use whichever works best for you or eliminate the breading altogether. It makes a delicious chicken dish without it.

I buy large chicken breasts, usually about a half pound each, so one breast easily makes two servings. If you use smaller breasts, figure on one breast per person. I also use a thicker slice of ham on it than the original recipe stated. I like to taste my ham. I didn’t have Swiss cheese, so I substituted slices of Edam cheese. I think any similar cheese will work in the flavor profile.

Malibu Chicken

2 chicken breasts (6-8 ounces each)
salt and pepper
4 pieces deli ham (1/4-inch slices)
4 slices of Swiss cheese

Malibu Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard (or Dijon or a combo)
1/2 tablespoon sugar substitute or Sugar-Free Honey

Crumb Topping
1/2 cup Almond Flour or finely chopped almonds
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoons Granulated Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Onion Flakes
pinch salt
pinch Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) degrees and place rack in the middle of the oven.

Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the breasts in half so you have four about equal-sized pieces.

In a bowl, mix almond flour, parmesan, garlic, onion flakes, and salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1/2 of the crumb mixture in the baking dish about where each breast will be placed.

In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise, mustard, and sweetener and stir until blended. Reserve about 1/2 of the sauce for dipping.

Use a pastry brush to spread the sauce over each chicken breast on one side. Place the coated side of the chicken on top of the crumbs. Now, brush the top of the chicken with the mayonnaise sauce. Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture over the top of the chicken breasts.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Poke the chicken with a fork to make sure any juices are clear or test with an instant-read thermometer to see it reads 165 degrees F (75 C.) Remove the chicken from the oven and add a slice of ham and cheese on top of each piece. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.

Makes 4 servings.