Easy Dinners--Gluten Free Mozzarella Chicken

Steve has been asking for Chicken Monterey A LOT lately.  Well, unfortunately I had zero monterey jack cheese in the house BUT I did have lots of mozzarella.  Sorry babe, next time :).
He wasn't too bummed though because this awesomeness happened:

We ended up eating it for the rest of the week.

Mozzarella Chicken
Makes about 4 servings (more if you're like me and only eat half of a chicken breast at a time)
Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts
1/2 Cup Milk
1 cup Gluten Free Bread Crumbs
1 jar of marinara sauce (you can also use Tomato Sauce)
2 T. Olive Oil, divided
1 T Parsley (the original recipe calls for fresh, I used dry)
1 T dried basil, crushed
1 T dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (I just shook them until it looked right)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup Shredded Mozzarella

Step 1:
Dip each chicken breast in milk.  Shake off excess.

Place in a single layer and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the bread crumbs.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

For reference these are my favorite GF Bread Crumbs:

Step 2
Spray a 9x13 inch pan with olive oil or cooking spray. Spread 1/3 of the marinara or tomato sauce on the pan and set aside.

 Step 3
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add a tablespoon of olive oil and swirl, making sure to coat the bottom of the pan.  

Step 4
Pull the chicken breasts out of the fridge and pan fry two of them in the oil, about 1 minute each side. Use the rest of the olive oil for the second batch.

Step 5
Arrange the now browned chicken in the glass pan.

Step 6

Spoon remaining tomato sauce or marinara evenly over the chicken breasts. Sprinkle with basil, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Top with mozzarella and pop in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. You want the cheese to be bubbly and a little golden.

Step 7
Let the chicken set for a few minutes and then dig in.

I served mine with gluten free pasta and broccoli:

A note on prepping broccoli:
I love pan sauteing my veggies in coconut oil.   It gives them this added nice nutty flavor.  Make sure you use Virgin Coconut Oil (I love the one from Trader Joe's).
I also add a bit of olive oil and lots of lemon pepper and garlic powder.  Also, you know my obsession with 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's.  

ENJOY :)

Curried Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry--Easy Weeknight Dinners

A few months ago I made beef tenderloin with a red wine reduction and whipped mashed potatoes,   on a Tuesday. Sounds delicious right?  Well it was but it was also the worst idea EVER.

Not only was the preparation & cooking time consuming, but the clean up was a beast and by the time I was finished it was time for bed.  I ended up having an emotional meltdown about "how all I ever do is work, cook and clean" (dramatic, I know).

Since then, I've started implementing some easy 10-15 minute, minimum clean up recipes during the week and saving the "fancy" stuff for the weekends or when friends are coming over. 

Here's one of my favorites that I made last night:
Curried Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry
Ingredients
Makes about 4 Servings

2-3 Tbs. Olive Oil
2 Large Chicken Breasts (you can substitute for shrimp if you're more of a seafood person)
Spices (I use: Garlic Powder, Lemon Pepper, Truffle Salt, 21 Seasoning Salute, Cayenne Pepper and Cumin)
1 Bag of California Stir Fry Veggies (Broccoli, Carrots and Snow Peas)
1 Jar of Thai Kitchen Red Curry Simmer Sauce
Jasmine Rice (I like to use Trader Joe's or the Minute Rice brand is also excellent)

Step 1: 
Preheat a skillet and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to it.  Rinse your chicken breasts and pat dry with a paper towel.  Cut into cubes.

Step 2:
Add spices to the chicken.  I like lemon pepper, garlic powder and truffle salt.  I also added cumin and a pinch of cayenne pepper (not pictured).  My absolute favorite spice is 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's.  When in doubt use it.

Step 3: 
Place the seasoned chicken into the skillet and olive oil.  Move to medium heat.  Cook for about 1 minute uncovered and then cover and cook for about 5 minutes.

Step 4: 
While the chicken is cooking dump one jar of Thai Kitchen Red Curry Sauce into another skillet.  Wait until it boils.

Add California Stir Fry Veggies and cook for 5 minutes on Med Heat.

Step 5: 
Transfer the chicken into the skillet with the veggies and curry. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Step 6: 
While the chicken and veggies are cooking together put the Jasmine Rice in the microwave.

Step 7: 
Serve the chicken and veggie stir fry over the jasmine rice and be prepared to fall in love.