Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Italian Chicken - Gluten Free

How is your new year going?  I've been a busy girl.  I have been cooking and baking up a storm, and have catered desserts to a couple of parties.  I decided I should have a whole house set up, complete with a bed, tv and couch, in the kitchen!  On those days I have spent a lot of time in the kitchen, I just want a tried and true dish to make for dinner that night.  This Italian Chicken is one of those dishes.  It's pretty easy and doesn't require me to look up measurements in a cookbook and I love that.  It has been a family favorite since I was first married, and is often requested as the "birthday meal."  The browned cheese on top of the tomato and crispy chicken is so good.  The spinach on the bottom cooks down in the chicken juices, giving it great flavor.  Such a winning combo.

Italian Chicken - Gluten Free
Goodies Gone Gluten Free
When I first attempted to make a gluten free version of this Italian Chicken, it didn't turn out so well.  It was actually a soggy mess.  The chicken is breaded, lightly browned in olive oil, topped with tomato and cheese and set atop a bed of fresh spinach and then put in the oven to finish off cooking.  The gluten free bread crumbs I used just turned into mush in the oven.  The next time I tried a gluten free panko style bread crumb and that did the trick.  No mush.  I have had good success using Ian's Gluten Free Panko Style bread crumbs and Kinnikinnick Panko Style Bread crumbs.  I mix the bread crumbs with a little Italian herbs and  seasoning salt before dredging the chicken in them.

I hope you try this dish out and maybe it will become your family's "birthday meal" too!

ITALIAN CHICKEN - GLUTEN FREE
Recipe From:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for Printable Recipe

4-5 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium bag fresh spinach leaves
1 medium tomato sliced in 4-5 slices
4-5 slices of mozzarella or jack cheese
Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
Gluten Free Panko style bread crumbs, approximately 1 cup
Olive Oil for frying

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Empty bag of spinach into a 13x9 inch baking dish.  It will look like a lot of spinach, but it will cook down considerably.  Pour olive oil approximately a quarter of the way up in a skillet and heat on medium heat.  In the meantime, dip chicken in egg and then bread crumbs (if your gluten free panko crumbs are not seasoned you can season with a 1/4 tsp of Italian herbs and 1/4 tsp. of seasoning salt or salt of choice).  Once oil is hot enough that a few crumbs dropped in the hot oil sizzle, place chicken in skillet and brown on both sides, a couple at a time.  Place browned chicken on top of spinach and top each breast with a slice of tomato, a sprinkle of Parmesan and a piece of sliced cheese.

Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned and the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Serves 4-5 people