Gluten Free Makeover- Chicken Parmigiana

One of my favorite gluten free recipe "makeovers" is Chicken Parmigiana. It has also become one of my family's favorites and also a "go to" for entertaining. It's great for a small dinner party or to feed a crowd. In the past I would never have considered serving gluten free pasta to my guests, but now that the quality and tastes of these pastas has improved greatly, I don't think they will miss the wheat pasta. My 2 favorite gluten free brands right now are Ronzoni and Trader Joe's. Both have good taste and texture (a firm "bite") very close to wheat pasta.

The other ingredient in this recipe that needs a gluten free substitute is the breadcrumbs. The brand I find to be closest to "real" breadcrumbs is Gillian's. They come in Plain and Italian. The end result is a nice crispy crust on the chicken.

Most chicken parm recipes fry the chicken cutlets, I prefer to bake them. By baking you get a nice crispy crust, without the oily mess. Easier to prepare, less calories , no sogginess, and I think, better tasting. You can make the cutlets ahead of time, and then assemble the casserole just  before you're ready to bake it.

After you see how easy this is to prepare and what a crowd pleaser it is, you will surely add this to your list of "go to" favorites!

Gluten Free Chicken Parmigiana                                                                Printable Recipe

8 thin cut, boneless chicken cutlets (you can buy them already cut, or make your own from boneless chicken breast, pounding them until they are thin)
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups Italian flavor gluten free breadcrumbs (if you are using plain, add some Italian seasoning)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella
2-25 oz jars Marinara Sauce or your own homemade marinara sauce
1 lb. gluten free penne, ziti or spaghetti

Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl. Combine the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese on a flat plate. Dip the chicken cutlets first in the eggs and then in the bread crumbs to coat.











Place the breaded cutlets on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes, then turn them over and bake an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown. (Don't overbake or your cutlets will be dry).










Spread the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Place the baked cutlets in a single layer on top of the sauce. Top with the shredded mozzarella and cover with sauce. (Be generous with both, you want moist cutlets) Bake for 1/2 hour in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling. Cook the pasta and coat with the remaining marinara sauce. Serve the chicken parm with the pasta and sauce.

Birthday Dinner, Baby Lamb Chops

Today is my hubby's birthday and he always requests the same dinner, baby lamb chops. It is a simple dinner to prepare and it is an easy, elegant, impressive entree if you want to serve it to guests. I think the hardest part is finding the "baby" lamb chops because you don't always see them in the supermarket or they just have one package, which is not enough. I usually find them at Costco (the meats are very good here) at a reasonable price and quantity. Technically they are "rib chops", these are thinner and have a long bone at the end, or "loin chops" which are a little thicker and look like a little T-bone steak. I prefer the loin chops for dinner because they are meatier and more filling. To accompany, roasted potato wedges and brussel sprouts, or a green salad.

And of course, a birthday calls for a special wine from my wine cellar. Today, my husband chose a 2003 Margaux from Bordeaux that has been aging in my cellar and should be ready to drink. Lamb also pairs well with a Burgundy (Pinot Noir) or a full bodied red, such as a Cabernet or Zinfadel.

The recipes are simple:

Prepare the potatoes first: Cut potatoes into wedges, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, turning once. Don't rush them, they should be golden brown and crisp.

Make sure your lamb chops are at room temperature before you grill them, so take them out when you start the potatoes.Sprinkle the lamb chops with salt, pepper and oregano (rosemary works too), and grill for about 5 minutes on each side. They should be slightly pink in the center. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on them before serving.

Oh, did I mention the entire meal is naturally gluten free? :) Enjoy!

 Valentine's Day Flowers :)

More Snow..and Avgolemono Soup

It is snowing again in New Jersey, the worst winter I can remember. In anticipation of another snow day, I picked up a chicken yesterday to make chicken soup. Soup is perfect on a cold, winter day and I have the luxury of simmering it for several hours today since we are all home from work. To change it up a bit, I decided to make Avgolemono Soup, a classic Greek soup thickened with eggs and flavored with lemon. It is smooth, creamy and tart. You will find this soup in any Greek restaurant or diner, but be careful, although the soup is gluten free, many recipes include Orzo pasta, and orzo is NOT gluten free. I use rice and it is just as good and gluten free!

The trick to making the perfect Avgolemono soup is to incorporate the egg/lemon mixture into the soup without the eggs scrambling, you don't want egg drop soup, you want a thick, creamy, smooth, lemon colored soup. To do this you need to temper the eggs by first pouring a little hot chicken broth into the egg mixture and whisking the mixture continuously, then adding this mixture to the rest of the soup a little at a time and whisking as you pour it in.  It should be smooth, no little pieces of cooked egg. This is the same technique you would use to make rice pudding or custard. It takes a little practice to pour with one hand and whisk with the other! Also, after you add the egg mixture, don't boil the soup, just simmer it. 

I prefer using homemade chicken broth, but you can make this with store bought chicken broth too. Again, read the label, many store bought chicken stocks are NOT gluten free. To make it more filling, I add shredded chicken to the soup. Traditionally, the rice is cooked right in the chicken broth before adding the eggs and lemon. I prefer to cook the rice separately and add it to each bowl. This prevents the rice from soaking up all the broth.

If you think plain chicken soup is great for a cold, try this next time, the hot lemony soup is perfect for clearing your head cold!

Avgolemono Soup 

8 cups hot chicken broth (My homemade chicken soup recipe)*
3 eggs
Juice of 2 lemons, or to taste ( I like it really lemony, but you may prefer less lemon, start with one lemon and add more to your taste)
2 cups cooked brown or white rice
Shredded chicken (optional)

If you are using homemade chicken soup, strain the soup and use just the broth. Shred the chicken and put aside.
Beat the eggs in a bowl. With a whisk, add the lemon juice to the eggs. Temper the eggs by slowly pouring in a few ladles of the hot soup into the egg lemon mixture a little at a time while you are continuously whisking the mixture. Then, whisk the tempered egg lemon mixture into the rest of the soup. The soup should be creamy and smooth. Add the shredded chicken and rice.

*If you use my chicken soup recipe, omit the tomato sauce and escarole for this recipe.
Printable Recipe