Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

• •4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• •0.5 cup all purpose gluten free flour blend (any good-quality blend)
• •2 eggs (any size)
• •2 tablespoons lukewarm water
• •2 cups gluten free breadcrumbs (I prefer coarse)
• •2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning ((See Recipe Notes for a homemade blend))
• •0.75 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• •0.5 teaspoon salt
• •0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• •0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil (plus more as needed)
• •3 cups jarred tomato herb marinara sauce
• •8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• •2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Place the flour on a large plate or wide, flat bowl.
3. Place the eggs in a wide, flat bowl and beat with a fork. Add 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water and beat again to combine.
4. Place the breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, salt and pepper in a large wide, shallow bowl or plate and mix together to combine.
5. Pound the chicken breasts gently until each is about 1/2 inch thick. Don’t pound too hard or you’ll tear the breasts. It’s most important that the breasts are each about the same thickness as one another, and across each breast. This will allow them to cook evenly.
6. Set a clean fork or thongs in each of the 3 bowls (flour, eggs, breadcrumbs) and handle the chicken with only that fork or those tongs when it’s in each bowl. That will minimize mess as you prepare the chicken.
7. Use paper towels to pat the prepared raw chicken breasts dry.
8. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until rippling.
9. While the pan’s heating up, dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour, one piece at a time. Sprinkle the flour over any bare spots to make sure the chicken is completely coated. Allow the chicken to rest there briefly and dredge it again.
10. Remove the chicken from the flour, and dip both sides generously into the egg mixture.
11. Let the excess egg drip off briefly, then press the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture on both sides.
12. Place one or two breasts at a time in the hot, oiled pan for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown on both sides.
13. Add more olive oil between batches and whenever the skillet runs dry.
14. Place the breaded chicken cutlets in a greased or lined 9-inch x 13-inch x 2-inch casserole dish.
15. Top each cutlet with about 4 ounces of tomato sauce, then 2 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.
16. You can also ladle the sauce into a casserole dish and place the breaded chicken cutlets on top, then top with cheese and bake.
17. Place the dish in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
18. When the chicken is completely cooked, the chicken cutlets must read at least 165°F on an instant read thermometer. I usually aim for them to read about 180°F.
19. Serve immediately.