Whether fried or baked, food with breading has quite a negative stigma. For those of us following relatively strict diets, counting carbs, or looking for ways to incorporate protein wherever we can, we’ve discovered an amazing solution to the “crispy breading” problem— because who doesn’t like a delicious, crispy breading on, um, everything? As it turns out, the super grain quinoa is good for more than just a healthier substitute to rice or pasta. It makes a pretty great breading as well (is there ANYTHING that quinoa can’t do? We’re starting to wonder). So, chicken parmesan fans, try this recipe, enjoy this recipe, love this recipe so much that you add it to your list of one-weeklies. It’s that good. And it’s that healthy.
QUINOA CHICKEN PARMESAN
What You’ll Need:
- 1 c. quinoa
- 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
- ½ c. flour
- 2 large beaten eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, halved
- ½ c. Mozzarella (shredded)
- ¼ c. Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 c. marinara sauce of your choice
- ¼ c. basil, shredded
How To Make:
- Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Cook quinoa according to package instructions, stir in Italian seasoning
- Sprinkle chicken breast with salt & pepper
- Dredge in flour, egg and then press in quinoa
- Place chicken on a lightly greased baking sheet and put into preheated oven, baking for 20-25 minutes (quinoa should be golden brown)
- Pull out of oven, cover with cheeses and marinara and then bake until cheese melts (about 5 more minutes)
- Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve!
For a vegetarian option, try eggplant instead of chicken.
For a gluten-free option, substitute flour for a chickpea flour or rice flour.
Recipe adapted from http://damndelicious.net/2014/06/23/quinoa-chicken-parmesan/
