The Gluten-Free Homemaker

This recipe was delicious and a real hit with my kids (remember, I have teens, not little kids).  Apparently Olive Garden makes a chicken scampi which you can find copy cat recipes for online.  Those recipes, however, include a white sauce that is added to the scampi sauce.  I chose not to do that, simply for the sake of saving time.  Having eaten it without the white sauce, I have absolutely no desire to try the recipe with it.  It didn’t need anything else in our opinions.

While omitting the white sauce cut down and preparation time and the number of pieces to think about, this is not what I would call an easy recipe.  I had it ready in about 45 minutes, but I was constantly working on one or more parts.  For that reason, I have written the directions to try and help you know what order to go in so that the things that take the most time get started first.

Chicken Scampi (Gluten & Dairy Free)

• 16 oz. gluten-free spaghetti (I used Tinkyada)
• 3 Tb. Earth Balance stick margarine or butter
• 2 Tb. minced garlic
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 3/4 c. white cooking wine (or dry white wine)
• 1 c. chicken broth
• pepper to taste
• 2 1/2  boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 Tb. oil or butter (I used palm oil)

Start by heating a large pot of salted water for cooking your pasta.  Next, melt the margarine or butter in a medium sauce pan.  Add the minced garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes.  Add the Italian seasoning, wine, broth, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

When the water boils, add your pasta and get that cooking.

While the scampi sauce is simmering, slice the onion and pepper in thin slices.  Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large skillet and sauté the onion and pepper until tender. While it cooks, slice the chicken breasts into thin strips.  When they are done, remove the onion and pepper strips to a bowl.  Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add the chicken strips.  Cook and turn until the meat is cooked through.

After your pasta is done cooking, drain it and place it in a warm bowl.  After the scampi sauce is done simmering, pour it over the pasta and toss to coat.


Place the onions, pepper, and chicken on a serving plate and place some on top of the pasta when serving it.


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For more great recipes (not all but many are gluten free) visit Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays. This post is also linked to Lisa's Food and Health Carnival.

Labels: chicken, main dish recipes

Cooked chicken and chicken stock are useful in so many recipes.  I like to cook a batch of chicken and make stock at the same time.  Either can be frozen and pulled out when you need them.  You can use chicken breasts for this, but chicken thighs are both flavorful and economical.

One way I like to use cooked chicken is to make chicken salad.  It makes a great high protein lunch or snack.  It can be put on a green salad, bread, or crackers, or eaten with chips.  I also like using chicken in casseroles.  Here are a few that use cooked chicken.

Poached Chicken & Chicken Stock

• 5 – 6 lbs. chicken thighs with skin and bones
• 1 medium onion, thickly sliced
• 1 large carrot, cut in 1 inch chunks
• 1 stalk celery with leaves, cut in 1 inch chunks

Place all ingredients in a large pot and cover with water.  Cover the pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and boil slowly for 15 minutes.  Turn off the heat, leave the lid on, and let sit another 20 - 30 minutes.  Check the chicken with an instant read thermometer.  It should reach 180°.

Remove the chicken pieces to a plate to cool, then skin and debone them.  Chop or shred the chicken and store in the refrigerator or freezer. (Chicken can easily be shredded in your KitchenAid stand mixer.) Strain the broth to remove the vegetables.  Cool and pour into glass jars and refrigerate. The fat can easily be removed after it has chilled. Once chilled, you can measure and pour into zip top freezer bags.  If you lay these flat in your freezer, they will thaw in cold water much more quickly than if you put them in a jar.  I like to freeze 2 cup portions. Don’t forget to label the bags!  Makes approximately 2 quarts stock.

Labels: chicken, main dish recipes

This meal is delicious as is, but if you eat soy, you might enjoy soy sauce added to it.  I am on a soy free diet, and my family doesn’t particularly like soy sauce so I didn’t use any.  My husband is not a big fan of fruit such as pineapple with his meat (poultry), but I sneak it in occasionally.  He didn’t mind it too much in this dish and the kids really enjoyed it.  It surprised me how much flavor a little canned pineapple added.  It was definitely nice for a change.

This recipe is perfect for using leftover chicken.  You can use white or dark meat or a combination of both.  I used thighs for the recipe in the photo.  I served this over a mix of rice and quinoa.  It wasn’t the best combination with red quinoa, and next time I will serve it with brown rice or pasta.

Chicken, Vegetable, & Pineapple Skillet Meal

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 – 2 Tb. cooking oil
• 2 c. cubed cooked chicken
• 1 c. crushed pineapple with juice
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 Tb. corn starch
• 2 Tb. cold water

In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the onion, pepper and garlic.  Sauté until tender.  Add the chicken and heat through.  Add the tomatoes and pineapple and heat.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Dissolve the corn starch in the cold water and slowly pour it into the skillet, stirring constantly.  Cook a couple of minutes until hot and slightly thickened.

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Labels: chicken, main dish recipes

When I search for chicken cacciatore recipes, I’m surprised by how different they all look.  Some look like chicken parmesan, one looks like a stew, and countless others are somewhere in between.  I don’t know if this recipe is what you picture when you think of chicken cacciatore, but I do know that it tastes good. 

I used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but thighs would work well too, or a combination.  You should use skinless pieces, but it would be okay to use bone-in.  In fact, if you like moist chicken, bone-in chicken thighs are a great economical choice.  Boneless breasts are a great choice, though, and these turned out very moist.

Most chicken cacciatore recipes include mushrooms. I enjoy them, but not all of my family does, so I didn’t use any. If you like mushrooms, just add sliced mushrooms of choice to the bottom of the crock pot with the vegetables. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped (I used purple)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3-4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can (14.5 oz. diced tomatoes)
• 3 Tb. tomato paste
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 1/2 c. white cooking wine
• 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1/8 tsp. pepper (or to taste)
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 Tb. corn starch
• 3 Tb. water

Place the onion, pepper, and garlic in the bottom of your crock pot.  Place the chicken pieces on top.  Combine the tomatoes (with juice), tomato paste, chicken broth, wine, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf and pour over the chicken.  Cook on low about 3 – 3 1/2 hours or until chicken is done.  Turn the heat setting to high.  Remove the chicken pieces.  Combine the corn starch and water and whisk it into the liquid.  Heat on high for about 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Serve the chicken and sauce over pasta or rice.

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This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free.

Labels: chicken, main dish recipes

Since I purchased a new crock pot a couple of months ago, I’ve been using it more.  Some days it really helps to have most dinner preparation done earlier in the day.   This recipe is pretty easy.  The time consuming part is chopping vegetables, but that can be done whenever it fits into your schedule, such as the night before.
 
My new crock pot is not overcooking and drying out everything I put in it like my old one did, but I still find that most food cooks pretty quickly.  For example, this recipe only took 4 hours on low and the chicken would have been way too dry if it had cooked 6 – 8 hours.  That means I get dinner started in my slow cooker in the afternoon, which isn’t convenient for someone who is at work in the afternoon.  So unless you have an old crock pot that you know you can leave all day, don’t expect this recipe to cook while you are at work.  Instead, try it on the weekend.

Chicken breasts have become one of my favorite things to put in the slow cooker.  Since I have a large crock I usually cook plenty of it.  The leftovers are used for lunches or turned into chicken salad.  Feel free to cut this recipe in half, but only if you have a 4 quart cooker.

Herbed Chicken and Vegetables

• 1 1/2 c. sliced mushrooms (use your favorite kind)
• 1/3 c. chopped red bell pepper
• 1 c. sliced carrots
• 3/4 c. chopped onion
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (~ 6 large)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 1/4 tsp. ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• salt & pepper to taste

Place the vegetables and chicken broth in the bottom of the crock pot.  Place the chicken breasts on top.  Add the garlic, spreading it over the chicken pieces.  Sprinkle the thyme, basil, salt and pepper over everything.  Cover and cook on low about 4 hours or until the chicken is done.  Serve with rice, pasta, potatoes, or quinoa.

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This post is linked to the following food carnivals.  The links there are not necessarily gluten-free, but many are, and others can be converted.

• Tasty Tuesday
• Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
• Delicious Dishes

Labels: chicken, main dish recipes

Slow cookers (AKA crock pots) are not what they used to be.  They used to actually cook slowly!  Today’s slow cookers cook hotter than they used to for food safety reasons.  I guess I should be glad about that, but I only find it frustrating when my old recipes turn out over done and dry.  The first “hot” slow cooker I bought was a 4 quart model and it has things boiling in no time.  Recently I bought a 7 quart model hoping the larger pot would not heat quite as quickly.  It doesn’t, but it is still hotter than my old ones were.  The problem with the 7 quart model is that I have to put a lot of food in it.  A crock pot should ideally be 1/2 to 3/4 full.  Even with three teenage boys in my family, that makes more than we eat in one meal, often more than we eat in two meals (depending on if it is only meat or meat and vegetables).

In this case, I used 6 pounds of chicken thighs (with bone) that I bought at BJ’s.  I like their chicken thighs, but it is a lot to use.  It was nice to cook it all at once, have meat for a couple of dinners, and some to put in the freezer.  The first night I served the chicken pieces whole with the sauce.  For the leftovers, I pulled out the chicken pieces, removed the bones, and shredded the meat, then added it back to the sauce.  It was great both ways.

This recipe is a modified version of a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes.  In case you are wondering, both the orange and cinnamon flavors are subtle in this, but my family likes subtle.  I hope you do too.

Slow Cooker Citrus Cinnamon Chicken

• 1 c. ketchup
• 1/4 c. instant tapioca
• 1 c. orange juice
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 6 lbs. chicken thighs, bone-in, skin removed

In a bowl, combine the ketchup, tapioca, and orange juice.  Put about half in the bottom of your slow cooker.  Place the cinnamon stick on top of the sauce.  Put a single layer of chicken in the pot, spoon some sauce over each piece, add another layer of chicken and sauce.  Repeat if necessary. 



Cook on low 6 – 7 hours, or high 4 hours or until chicken is done.



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This post is linked to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, and Delicious Dishes.

Labels: chicken, main dish recipes

With all my muffin recipes last month, I haven’t posted a good dinner recipe in a while.  This one is a favorite.  It’s not a quick and easy meal so I don’t make it often, but then it is a special treat when I do make it.  I don’t remember where I found the original recipe.  It was easily converted to gluten free by substituting rice flour for wheat flour and using gluten-free spaghetti.  I’ve made a couple of other small changes, including omitting the milk and increasing the stock.  It’s not a dairy free recipe because it does include cheese, but I prefer to cut back on the amount of dairy I’m using, and this recipe is still terrific without the milk.

This is a great recipe for using up leftover chicken, and I’m sure turkey would work well too.  I roasted a large chicken one night, made stock from the carcass, and had this the next night.  This recipe has enough parts to it that you really want to have the chicken already cooked, and you can’t beat homemade stock.

Gluten-Free Chicken Tetrazzini with Broccoli

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

16 oz. broccoli florets (I use frozen for this)
12 oz. gluten-free spaghetti (I use Tinkyada)
4 c. chopped cooked chicken
2 c. sliced mushrooms (~6 oz)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tb. butter
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 c. rice flour
4 c. chicken stock
3 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese
2 Tb. white cooking wine
1 tsp. salt (vary according to the stock you use and your taste)
1/8 tsp. pepper

Steam the broccoli until just tender.  Cook the pasta until done.  Set them both aside.  In a large skillet (I used my electric skillet), saute the mushrooms & garlic in butter for several minutes.  Add the oregano and basil and cook another minute. 



Add three cups of the chicken stock to the skillet.  Combine 1 cup of cold chicken stock with the flour.  Add to the skillet and whisk together.  Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes, stirring/whisking frequently.  Add the cheese, wine, salt, and pepper and mix well.  Remove from heat (or turn off the electric skillet) and stir in the chicken.



Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Place half the spaghetti in the bottom of the dish.  Add half the broccoli.



Top with half the chicken mixture. 


 Repeat the layers.  Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.  Serves 8.

For more recipes visit Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesday, and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

Labels: chicken, main dish recipes

Before going out of town the other week, I bought a large pack of chicken breasts.  I made one meal, and then realized I wouldn’t be around to use the rest.  Instead of just throwing it all  in the freezer, I quickly cooked it in my pressure cooker, shredded it in my mixer, divided it into bags, and then stuck in the freezer. 

I was glad to have it when I got home.  By the time I got back from Nashville, grocery store shelves were pretty bare because of the big snow we had, and more snow was coming. I ended up not buying any meat and depending on what I had in the freezer.   This recipe is one way I used the chicken.

Mexican casseroles are easy and fun to make.  This one uses several canned products making it a good for days when the frig is rather bare.  It’s even easier if you have precooked chicken in the freezer as I did.  I realize it can be difficult to find gluten free enchilada sauce, but I happened to have some.  If you don’t have any, you could make your own, or try using tomato sauce or salsa.  I actually did not use a full package of taco seasoning.  If you use a full pack you might not need the spicyness of the enchilada sauce, making tomato sauce a good choice.  We don’t like our food very spicy, though.

We all really enjoyed this, and I’m sure I will be making it again before too long.

Gluten-Free Mexican Casserole

• 1 can refried beans
• 1 can sweet corn
• 1/2 can enchilada sauce (or try tomato sauce or salsa)
• 2 c. shredded cooked chicken
• 1 pgk. taco seasoning mix (McCormick)
• shredded cheese

Grease a 2 quart casserole dish.  Spread the refried beans over the bottom of the dish.  Drain the corn and spread over the beans.


Heat the chicken in a skillet, add the taco seasoning mix and water according to package instructions.  Put the chicken over the corn in the dish.  Spread about half a can of enchilada sauce over the chicken.


Top with shredded cheese.  I used a Mexican blend, but cheddar would be good also.  Bake at 350 degrees 20 – 30 minutes until hot through.  Let it rest about 10 minutes  before eating.



This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.  Stop by to find more great recipes!

Labels: chicken, main dish recipes

I promised you I would have a couple of my own casserole creations to inspire you for this month’s Create a Casserole Challenge.  This one was quick to make using leftovers, and resulted in a delightful tasting dish.  It does not use cream soup or cheese, but it does contain Ranch dressing which means it is not dairy free.  However, if you cook dairy free, I’m sure you can find an enjoyable substitute.  If you like exact measurements, you are out of luck with this one, but trust me, you can do it.

Gluten-Free Chicken and Rice Casserole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Ingredients

• Leftover cooked chicken, cut in bite size pieces
• Leftover cooked rice, quinoa or other grain (I had a mix of white rice, red quinoa, and millet)
• Italian dressing (I made my own from a Good Seasons mix)
• Ranch Dressing
• Gluten free cracker crumbs or corn flake crumbs
• Pecans, chopped

Instructions
Grease a rectangular baking dish.  Spread you leftover rice on the bottom of the dish.  Sprinkle it with a little Italian dressing.  Put the chicken pieces on top and sprinkle on some more Italian dressing.  Squirt some ranch dressing over that.

Top with crushed crackers or cereal and pecans.  Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes or until hot.


Casseroles without a thick soup or cheese in the middle do not hold together as well, but that’s okay.  It’s still good food.

For more rice recipe check out Friday Foodie Fix at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.  This recipe is also linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free.

Labels: chicken, main dish recipes

Cooking meat for dinner and having leftovers for a second dinner is a great way to save time.  I like roasting a chicken and using the leftovers in various gluten free recipes, but many chicken dishes can also be used with turkey.  This is one of those, and with Thanksgiving only two days away, you’ll likely have leftover turkey to use this week.

I have a confession to make.  I can’t remember the last time I cooked peas.  I have never liked them.  The only peas I can stand to eat are the small baby peas.  I used to cook them occasionally just so the kids would be exposed to them, but I seem to have quit doing that.  One of my kids hates peas.  When he was younger he would hold them in his mouth forever, unable to swallow without gagging.  Not liking peas myself, I had mercy on him.  I guess that’s part of the reason I don’t cook them.  The rest of the family eats them, but nobody particularly loves them.  The only exception to my dislike is split pea soup, which I only began eating in recent years.

Traditional chicken pot pie recipes call for peas.  I use green beans instead, but if you are a pea lover, feel free to use them in place of the beans.  They won’t require as much cooking as the beans, though, so you can just add them in with the chicken.

Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

• 2 Tb. butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 1/2 c. thin green beans, cut in pieces
• 2 c. chicken, cooked and chopped
• 2 c. chicken stock
• 3 Tb. rice flour
• 1/8 tsp. ground thyme
• salt & pepper
• 1 drop biscuit recipe

Instructions
In a large skillet, melt the butter and cook the onion, carrots, celery, and green beans until the onion is transparent and the other veggies are tender.
Add one cup of the chicken stock and the chicken.  Heat through.  Whisk together the other cup of stock and the rice flour.  Add to the skillet with the thyme and salt & pepper to taste.  Heat and stir until it is thickened. Place the veggie mixture in a greased 2 quart casserole dish. 
Make the biscuit recipe and spread it over the top of the dish. 
Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes.  Use a knife to see if the biscuit dough is done at the center.


This post is linked to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tasty Tuesdays.

Labels: chicken, main dish recipes

Hello! Welcome to “What can I eat that’s gluten-free?”  If you find yourself asking that question, you’ve come to the right place.  After my recipe you will find links to recipes and ideas from other bloggers.  If  you’re a blogger, please join in.  Your link must be about some gluten free food item or recipe, but your blog doesn’t have to be gluten free.  You can read the guidelines here.
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A couple of weeks ago I watched this quick and easy meals video at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.  I really liked the idea of buying meat in large packs and freezing some along with other ingredients so it’s ready to cook.    The options are open to your creativity.  Unfortunately, we can’t just dump in a can of cream of chicken soup, but there are other options. 
I gave it a try after buying a big pack of chicken breasts.  I used half for dinner one night and the other half I put into a gallon size freezer bag.
I added to the chicken:

• 1 can diced tomatoes (2 might have been better, but that was all I had)
• 1 package Italian dressing mix (the kind you add to vinegar & oil)
• 2 Tb. gluten free soy sauce

I might have added a little water too.  I got as much air out of the bag as I could and put it into the freezer.
To cook the chicken, I took it out of the freezer and hit the bag on the counter edge to break it up a little.  I then put it into the crock pot and added about 1/2 cup V8 juice.  I started it on high and later turned it to low.
My crock pot runs very high so it got done sooner than I expected.  The kids were wondering why we were having such an early dinner, but it was Saturday and my husband was home.  I served the chicken with Tinkyada penne, spooning some of the sauce over the pasta.  With the leftovers, I decided to shred the chicken and mix it in with the sauce which I actually liked better.
I would love to hear your ideas for things that could be added to chicken or beef and then frozen.

Reminder:  Next week has a theme of breakfast food, but the theme is only a suggestion.

1. The Happy Housewife ~ Spaghetti Squash 2. Brian (Firehouse Boneless Pork Ribs) 3. Gluten Free Gidget ( 15 Minutes to Garlic Bread)

4. Amy Green @ Simply Sugar & Gluten Free (Homemade Chicken Stock) 5. The W.H.O.L.E. Gang-Chili Shrimp/Chicken w/Avocado Salsa/Roast Jalapeno/Pablanos 6. Jessie (Pizza Please)

7. Kim, The Food Allergy Coach (3 GF recipes from Nicolette Dumke's new book) 8. Janelle - Gluten free noodles

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Labels: chicken, main dish recipes, What can I eat?

Oven baked chicken parmesan is one of our favorite meals.  For a while I fixed it so often that we actually did get a little tired of it.  Then I went a long while without making it.  When I finally made it again, we were reminded of why we love it so much.  The coating on the chicken keeps it super moist, and the pasta sauce and cheese go so well with it.  If you eat dairy free, all you need to do is omit that cheese that goes on top.

Dry meat is the one thing I often fear when serving company.  Because this chicken always turns out moist, it is a great choice.  In fact, I recently made it for a large group of friends and it was a big hit.

Gluten-Free Chicken Parmesan

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 c. tortilla crumbs, or gluten free bread crumbs
• 28 oz. pasta sauce
• 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese
  
  

Labels: chicken, main dish recipes, What can I eat?

Welcome to this weekly blog carnival of gluten free eating ideas.  If you have a blog, please add your link.  If it is your first time participating, you can read the guidelines here.


This recipe originally came from Wampler, but since I don’t think they are in business any more, I’ll post it here.  I love the chicken, mushroom, Parmesan combination and when you add a lemon sauce to it, it’s even better. 
I’m sorry I didn’t get a very good picture.  I accidentally left it under the broiler just a little too long which didn’t make for the most attractive picture.  This one is a piece that was cut in half.  The appeal of this dish is more in the flavor than the looks department anyway.

Chicken & Mushrooms with Lemon Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
• 2 Tb. butter
• 3/4 c. sliced mushrooms
• 2 Tb. cornstarch
• 1 c. water
• 2 Tb. white wine
• 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 Tb. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/3 c. grated Parmesan

Instructions
Melt the butter in a skillet and sauté the chicken until just fully cooked.  Remove the chicken and add the mushrooms.  Sauté until soft. Combine the cornstarch and water.  Add it to the skillet along with the wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Stir and cook on high heat for 1 minute. 
Butterfly the chicken breasts (slice them horizontally, but not all the way through).  Place some of the sauce and Parmesan inside each chicken breast and place it in a baking dish.  Cover the chicken with the remaining sauce and Parmesan. Broil until lightly brown.

1. Brian (GF Hamburger Buns) 2. The WHOLE Gang-Boeuf Bourguignon Burger 3. The Food Allergy Coach (Chicken Fried Steak & Oven Sweet Potato Fries) 4. Gluten Free Gidget ( Spaghetti Minus the Spaghetti)

5. Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (Tomato Basil Pantry Soup) 6. Jessie (Tomato Soup Too) 7. Gluten Free Taste of Home (Vegetarian Spring Rolls with Thai Peanut Sauce) 8. Mikki (Pork Loin with Apple-raisin sauce)

9. Rachel (Asian Lettuce Wraps) 10. Trish (Quick BBQ Pork Ribs)

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Labels: chicken, main dish recipes, What can I eat?

Hi! Welcome to this weekly blog carnival where we share gluten-free dinner (and non dinner) ideas. At the end of my recipe you can add a link to a gluten-free eating idea on your blog. If you’ve never participated before, you can read the guidelines here.

This week’s dinner idea is courtesy of my youngest son (12).  He made this recently when he was staying with my parents and couldn’t wait to try it again at our house.  It’s a variation on what my mom always called potato cakes, but since this is put together in one casserole dish, my son has chosen to call it potato pie.  It’s a stovetop dish, however, that only uses the broiler to melt the cheese.

Because I never have enough leftover mashed potatoes to feed us all for second meal, I  made a pot of potatoes for him. (You simply would not believe how many mashed potatoes my 18 year old son can eat.)  I did have  plenty of leftover chicken to use though.  This isn’t an actual recipe, more like guidelines really.  It’s hard to go wrong.

Potato Pie

Ingredients

• mashed potatoes
• cooked chicken, cut in bite size pieces
• eggs (about 1 per serving)
• salt & pepper
• garlic powder
• cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

In a bowl, mix together the mashed potatoes, egg, salt, pepper, and garlic.  Stir in the chicken.  Add to a large skillet and cook, turning and mixing sections at a time until hot through.  Place in a casserole dish and sprinkle with the cheese. Place the dish under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.

1. Brian (Pasta Salad) 2. Cheryl - Stuffed Potatoes 3. Wendy (Asian Flank Steak W/Brown Rice Salad 4. Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (A Simple Homemade, Lower-Fat Vinaigrette)

5. Tole's Kitchen (Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto) 6. Jessie-Slacker Map 7. Jen (GF Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies) 8. Gluten Free Taste of Home (Creamy Mustard Thyme Potato Salad)

9. Brenna (chocolate zucchini bread) 10. Ashley (falafel delight)

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Labels: chicken, main dish recipes, What can I eat?

Welcome to this blog carnival which takes place on Wednesdays and is about compiling gluten-free dinner ideas. If this is your first time participating, you can read the guidelines here.

With warm weather here to stay, I’m not using the oven often. I don’t mind heating it up for a treat like this gluten-free strawberry rhubarb pie, but I try not to use it for dinner. The grill, of course, is a popular option for the summer, and grilled chicken is one of our favorites.

I often buy large packs of chicken thighs or breasts (usually boneless, skinless) from BJ’s Wholesale Club. My husband is not a fan of dark meat, but he likes grilled thighs. Even if I haven’t marinated them, they are nice and moist. My kids love these, too, even if they have no seasoning on them.

Some things I add for extra flavor or moisture are:

• a homemade marinade (see below)
• Italian salad dressing as marinade
• Old Bay seasoning
• Magic Seasoning Blends -Poultry Magic (all natural, no MSG, no additives or preservatives)

I so often forget to marinate meat ahead of time, but I have found that even marinating chicken breasts at room temperature for half an hour makes a difference. I wouldn’t leave it at room temperature any longer than that, though. Ideally, it should be marinated in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Basic Parts of a Marinade

Oil – I like to use extra virgin olive oil, but other oils work also. Oils can add flavor and help keep the meat moist.

Acid – Often vinegar, but lemon juice or wine work also. The acid helps tenderize the meat.

Seasoning – Add whatever flavors you like. Garlic is a favorite. Basil, oregano, and rosemary are popular, but the options are endless. Many of you will like something spicier.

If you like you can also add a sweetener such as honey.

Experiment with amounts. Since my family is not big on the flavor of vinegars, I use more oil than vinegar. Some recipes use equal amounts, and some use more vinegar than oil. It’s pretty hard to go wrong.

What’s your gluten-free dinner idea? Remember to check back for new links. Some don't get added until late Wednesday or even Thursday. Click the link to see if you missed any of last week's gluten-free lunch ideas and more!

1. Gina (Eggplant Parmesan) 2. Jessie (Summer Pasta) 3. Amy Green (Chicken Cacciatore) 4. Cheryl (Red Beans and Rice)

5. The W.H.O.L.E. Gang - Garlic Scapes Stir-fry with Salmon and Quinoa 6. Jennifer (Taco Casserole) 7. Heather (Pulled Pork) 8. Mikki (grilled potatoes)

9. Brian (Taco Soup) 10. Melanie (Tuna Rice Dish) 11. Cinde (spinach & red pepper pie)

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Labels: chicken, main dish recipes, What's for Dinner Wednesday

Chicken divan has always been a favorite of mine. You can find many different recipes that vary in difficulty, but this is an easy one. It’s not as easy as it was when I could just open a can of cream of chicken soup, but it is still easy.
I have memorized the cream soup recipe and can have it made pretty quickly. I’m a fairly impatient person so I dislike recipes that tell you to use low heat. I hate standing over the stove stirring and stirring something while it takes forever to heat up. My solution is to use medium-high heat and watch it carefully. That’s what I do with the cream soup recipe.
I added some bacon pieces when I made this the other night simply because I had it on hand and thought it would be interesting. Bacon is not traditionally a part of chicken divan. It didn’t add as much flavor as I thought it would, so I’m going to leave it out of the recipe, but I do like the color it added.
As a side dish I made 1 c. rice and 1/2 c. red quinoa cooked together in water that had a little chicken bouillon.

Chicken Divan

Ingredients

• About 2 c. leftover cooked chicken pieces
• About 4 c. steamed broccoli
• 1 recipe cream of chicken soup
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 – 1/2 c. milk
• About 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions
Place the chicken and broccoli in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Add salt and pepper to the cream of chicken soup. Thin the soup with milk. (I don’t actually remember how much I used, but just thin it so it can be poured over the entire dish.) Pour or spoon the soup evenly over the chicken and broccoli. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes. Everything is cooked so it just needs to get hot.

Labels: chicken, main dish recipes, what's for dinner

This is a very easy gluten-free dinner, and my kids rave about the chicken. I usually have a bag of frozen chicken breasts in my freezer. They are nice to use when I need a simple meal.

Favorite Chicken Breasts

• Olive oil
• Italian salad dressing
• Powdered Ranch dressing mix (gluten-free)

Put a little Italian salad dressing and a little olive oil in the bottom of a rectangular baking dish. Place the frozen chicken breasts in the dish and add a little of the salad dressing and olive oil on top. Sprinkle the chicken pieces liberally with powdered ranch dressing mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 - 1 hour or until done.  If using chicken that is not frozen, your baking time will be much less.

Note:  You can buy powdered Ranch dressing mix in packets. I have a container I get at BJ’s Wholesale which is more economical.  Remember to check the ingredients of your salad dressings to make sure they are gluten-free.

I let the chicken sit for 5 minutes or so, then I cut the breasts in thin strips with my electric knife. The kids, as big as they are, really like having the meat sliced for them. As I said, they just love this chicken. It is moist and flavorful.

For the rest of the dinner, I served steamed asparagus with a little butter and salt, and quinoa cooked in chicken broth with a little garlic and onion.  What special, yummy, or easy dinner did you have this week?

Labels: chicken, main dish recipes, what's for dinner