So what did you have for Easter dinner? Wait, let me guess…Ham? Funeral potatoes? How about deviled eggs or green bean casserole? Did your dessert involve some kind of cake or cupcake with a certain garden growing orange vegetable in it??? Yep, that’s what I thought! In years past our Easter dinners have been exactly that, typical. However, this year I had not solidified our Easter plans until the evening before. Instead of going to friends for dinner and bringing a simple appetizer plate of deviled eggs, we decided to host dinner for some very special people in our lives, Braelyn’s birthmom and her wonderful husband.
After having already sent Ben to the store three times in a row for Easter basket goodies and toys (apparently there are NO gluten free chocolate Easter bunnies besides an M&M guy) both he and I were unwilling to make yet another trip into the abyss of holiday chaos, otherwise known as Walmart. So what did I do? I opened up my fridge, freezer and pantry and decided on this: Baked Chicken Parmesan!
Who isn’t a fan of Italian?! Especially a dish with such simply elegant flavors as tomato, basil and parmesan? Lots of parmesan! Plus I like any excuse to use my homemade bread crumbs that have piled up in my freezer from failed bread baking attempts. Yes, who knew that even the most epic bread baking failure can still be useful in making bread crumbs? Lesson learned.
The nice thing about this Baked Chicken Parmesan is that it can be prepared a few hours ahead of time. I was able to prepare the chicken in the early afternoon, stick it in the fridge, and enjoy dyeing Easter eggs with my family and our guests until it was time to bake it in the oven. I also like this meal because all I do for the sauce is pop open a jar of Ragu. Yes, I admit it…I don’t make everything from scratch around here. Let’s be honest, that occasional pop sound of a jar opening up in your kitchen can bring music to a tired mama’s ears.
Some would think that pasta is not a good choice for a gluten free diet. Well yes, you’re right. However, so many companies nowadays are making gluten free alternatives to their foods. Barilla has a very tasty line of gluten free products. We have tried their spaghetti, penne and rotini noodles and have been very impressed. It’s nice to know that there are quick and easy basic food options out there that we can rely on in a dinner bind.
So with the pasta cooked, the chicken baked, the sauce heated, and the parmesan grated a not so traditional yet still so delicious Easter meal was born. The flavors of Italy joined us in praise on this perfect Easter day. So go ahead and break free from your next holiday cooking tradition. You never know, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients:
6 uncooked chicken breasts, about 3-4 oz. each
salt
pepper
1/2 cup white rice flour (I would imagine any gluten free flour would work)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups gluten free breadcrumbs
1 jar favorite Ragu gluten free spaghetti sauce
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
12 oz. your choice Barilla gluten free pasta (spaghetti, rotini, penne, etc.)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray and set aside. In three separate shallow containers or bowls, fill with the following: bowl #1-white rice flour, bowl #2-eggs, and bowl #3-bread crumbs. Beat the eggs with a fork and set all bowls aside.
2. Place chicken breasts on a meat designated cutting board. Trim fat off chicken and discard. Cover chicken with plastic wrap and pound chicken until they are 1/2″ thickness. Generously salt and pepper each side of all the chicken breasts. Make sure your pounded breasts are not much larger than an index card. If they are substantially large after pounding, cut them in half.
3. Take pieces of chicken one at a time and dip both sides in flour. Then coat both sides in egg. Lastly, dip both sides in bread crumbs to completely coat. Breadcrumbs may not easily stick just by pushing the chicken in the crumbs, so use your hands to scoop and pat some breadcrumbs on each side. Place chicken in baking pan. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken, adding more flour, eggs or breadcrumbs to your bowls as needed.
4. Place chicken in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes until cooked through.
5. During the last 20 minutes of baking, begin heating lightly salted water to boiling in a large pot. Cook pasta according to package directions. (I always cook gluten free pasta at least one minute more so the pasta isn’t as chewy.)
6. As pasta is cooking heat your pasta sauce on stovetop until heated through. Keep warm until ready to serve.
7. Once pasta is done, drain well. Arrange plates with pasta, sauce, chicken, more sauce and top with grated parmesan cheese. Sit down and enjoy a fancy effortless meal!
Serves 6
- 6 uncooked chicken breasts, about 3-4 oz. each
- salt
- pepper
- ½ cup white rice flour (I would imagine any gluten free flour would work)
- 3 eggs
- 1½ cups gluten free breadcrumbs
- 1 jar favorite Ragu gluten free spaghetti sauce
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 12 oz. your choice Barilla gluten free pasta (spaghetti, rotini, penne, etc.)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray and set aside. In three separate shallow containers or bowls, fill with the following: bowl #1-white rice flour, bowl #2-eggs, and bowl #3-bread crumbs. Beat the eggs with a fork and set all bowls aside.
- Place chicken breasts on a meat designated cutting board. Trim fat off chicken and discard. Cover chicken with plastic wrap and pound chicken until they are ½" thickness. Generously salt and pepper each side of all the chicken breasts. Make sure your pounded breasts are not much larger than an index card. If they are substantially large after pounding, cut them in half.
- Take pieces of chicken one at a time and dip both sides in flour. Then coat both sides in egg. Lastly, dip both sides in bread crumbs to completely coat. Breadcrumbs may not easily stick just by pushing the chicken in the crumbs, so use your hands to scoop and pat some breadcrumbs on each side. Place chicken in baking pan. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken, adding more flour, eggs or breadcrumbs to your bowls as needed.
- Place chicken in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes until cooked through.
- During the last 20 minutes of baking, begin heating lightly salted water to boiling in a large pot. Cook pasta according to package directions. (I always cook gluten free pasta at least one minute more so the pasta isn't as chewy.)
- As pasta is cooking heat your pasta sauce on stovetop until heated through. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Once pasta is done, drain well. Arrange plates with pasta, sauce, chicken, more sauce and top with grated parmesan cheese. Sit down and enjoy a fancy effortless meal!
