I’ve got to brag on myself a little bit here. I had been feeling pretty unmotivated lately when it comes to the gym. I haven’t been in two weeks! I kept making up excuses to make myself forego driving to the gym and instead go home to veg out.
It’s raining.
I got off 4 minutes late.
I’ve got to go to the dentist later this afternoon.
If I was eating how I used to eat, two weeks off from the gym would have been a death knell to my weight loss. I would have gained at least 10 pounds (it’s happened many, many times before). So I drug myself there this morning, weighed myself…and I had lost four pounds!
What is this sorcery?! Could the scale be broken?!
Nope. It was true. Even with minimal-to-zero exercise, I had actually lost weight. I’m going to go ahead and credit that to this wonderful keto diet—where I still get to eat almost all of my favorites. Almost all.
One thing that I’ve caught myself daydreaming about is pasta. Oh, that sweet starchy goodness. I’ve got a ton of pasta-substitutes, and they’re all great…but pasta sneaks into my mind more often than not. My favorite of all favorites when it comes to pasta dishes? Chicken parmesan. I’ve made it a hundred different times in a hundred different ways, and that cheesy marinara chicken never gets old.
I found this recipe on Pinterest and thought it would be a good keto-friendly sub. You still get all of the cheese & marinara, with an added bonus: cream cheese & asparagus. Sure, you’re missing out on the breading and the noodles, but this works to curb that chicken parm craving. At least for me it did.
I’ll keep eating my cheese-filled foods and continue to lost weight. I still have a long way to go until I get to where I’m satisfied. I may have a stray thought or two about endless carbs, but I’ll keep them just that—thoughts.
Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Parmesan

Cream cheese & asparagus stuffed chicken breasts with marinara and melted mozzarella.
Ingredients
- 3 large chicken breast, butterflied but not cut all the way through
- 2 TBS. olive oil
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 1 bunch asparagus stalks, tough ends cut off
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 2/3 cup shredded mozzarella
- salt & pepper
Directions
- Season chicken with salt and peppers on both sides. Spread cream cheese evenly on the inside pocket of the chicken breasts. Add 4-5 stalks of asparagus and pinch chicken together, using a toothpick if necessary to keep chicken closed. Rub garlic on the outside of chicken.
- Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook 6-7 minutes per side, until chicken is browned and almost cooked through.
- Pour marinara over the top of chicken and add mozzarella. Preheat broiler. Broil pan for 4-5 minutes until cheese is browned and melted, and chicken is cooked through.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Season chicken with salt and peppers on both sides. Spread cream cheese evenly on the inside pocket of the chicken breasts.
Add 4-5 stalks of asparagus and pinch chicken together, using a toothpick if necessary to keep chicken closed. Rub garlic on the outside of chicken.
Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook 6-7 minutes per side, until chicken is browned and almost cooked through.
Pour marinara over the top of chicken and add mozzarella. Preheat broiler. Broil chicken in pan for 4-5 minutes until cheese is browned and melted, and chicken is cooked through.
Wow this recipe looks so good! I can’t wait to try it. What are some quick weeknight dinner recipes you think I should try from your blog?
Thanks!
I like this sausage & peppers recipe: https://leencuisine.com/2018/04/07/sausage-peppers-with-zucchini-noodles/
And this sheet pan dinner: https://leencuisine.com/2017/12/13/sheet-pan-greek-chicken-dinner/
And my favorite red pepper pasta: https://leencuisine.com/2017/10/30/shrimp-roasted-red-pepper-pasta/
As soon as I saw chicken parm I clicked the link. Chicken parm is my favorite and I do not get tired of it at all. I do not like asparagus so I may substitute it for broccoli. But I’m glad I found this. Will be trying this soon thanks for sharing !
Chicken parm is my favorite to! Try broccolini—-it’s thin like asparagus but tastes like broccoli.
Great idea I will do that and I will let you know.
Asparagus is always a good choice! 😂
It really is!
That looks delicious! My cooking skills aren’t great but I need to try this and start being a bit healthier haha!
Beth x | https://bethrebecca.com
It’s a pretty easy recipe to get your skills going!
Awe, I wish I had seen this recipe while asparagus was still cheap around here! I’ll have to bookmark this for the next time it’s on sale.
That’s usually the only time I buy it too! It was $1.42 a pound here last week, in the winter it can be more than double that!
The season here for inexpensive asparagus is very short. The price is kind of middle of the road right now…$3.64 per pound. It was cheaper a few weeks ago, but yes, it goes much higher in the winter.