Chicken Mozzarella-Parmesan (Gluten-free)

Hot, savory chicken with sauce and cheese, full of flavor but quick and easy enough for a weeknight supper.  You’ll find this goes equally as well with gluten-free pasta and salad one time as it does with Tater Tots and green beans the next time.  Al likes both combinations.  (A pan of Tater Tots can bake alongside the chicken in about the same time it bakes.)

Chicken Mozzarella-Parmesan, Gluten-Free

I like to have a side dish of sauteed onion, peppers and mushrooms with it, replacing most of my share of the Tater Tots.  That recipe is shown below the chicken, in case you want to make it, too.  The flavors go well together, and it’s hard to eat too many calories or carbs with a side dish like that.  Al takes a few of those sauteed veggies…to garnish the carbs in his Tater Tots or pasta, you might say.  He tries to eat healthy:  He’ll eat almost all the different vegetables I cook, but he won’t often eat very much of them!

An important part of the flavor and texture of this chicken comes from the cornflake crumbs sprinkled over them.  You could make your own cornflake crumbs in a food processor with gluten-free cornflakes, but this time I used ready-made Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs distributed by The SoyNut Butter Company.

Gluten-Free Chicken Mozzarella-Parmesan

Ingredients:

1 pound Chicken Breast Halves, boneless & skinless

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

1/4 cup Cornflake Crumbs, GF

1/2 teaspoon Salt

dash Pepper

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder

2/3 cup Spaghetti Sauce, GF

2 ounces Mozzarella Cheese, Part Skim Milk, sliced or shredded

2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, grated

Black Olives, optional, for garnish

Directions:

Prep Time:  10 minutes;  Start to Finish Time:  45 minutes

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Trim fat and connective tissue from chicken breasts if needed.  If some chicken breasts are much bigger than others, cut into similar size serving pieces.  The larger and thicker the pieces are, the longer cooking time you will need.  Also, you can use frozen chicken breasts but will need to cook them a few minutes longer.

Spread the oil in a baking dish; put chicken breast pieces in pan, turning once to coat both sides lightly with oil.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Turn the chicken pieces over; sprinkle tops with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cornflake crumbs.  Bake for another 8-10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 375 degrees F.  Spread spaghetti sauce over top of each piece; bake for another 8 minutes, or until chicken is done.  It should be fork-tender and when cut in thickest part of meat, juices should run clear.

Spread the mozzarella cheese on top of each piece; sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.  Bake for another 5 minutes or just until cheese is melted.

Garnish with black olives, if desired.

Serve immediately.

Makes 2-3 servings.

Sauteed Onions, Peppers and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 small Onion, thinly sliced

1 small Green Bell Pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 pound Mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Butter or Margarine

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Start to Finish time:  15 minutes

Heat oil and butter in wok or heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat.  If you’d rather use all oil or all butter, that will work just as well.  If using all butter, though, keep the burner set closer to medium to avoid scorching the butter.

Add onion and cook slowly, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.  Add the peppers and continue cooking for a few more minutes, until the peppers begin to soften.

Add the mushrooms and continue cooking just until barely tender.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Even though these ingredients are usually gluten-free, always be sure to check the ingredients list on every label before you start cooking.

These gluten-free recipes are gluten-free (no wheat, barley or rye), egg-free and nut-free.