Slow Cooker Chicken Provence with Red Potatoes

 I still love my slow cooker! Especially this time of year, when life is busy and you don't want to be inside all afternoon. The days are getting warmer, the sunlight lasts longer and you want to enjoy every minute of it.

This is a recipe I threw together the other day with ingredients I had on hand. Defrosted bone-in chicken thighs, and a big five pound bag of large red potatoes.

One way I love to fix potatoes with any protein in the slow cooker, is to simply place the potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker whole. The potatoes will then sort of act like a rack to hold the protein up. it's great because the protein will actually roast and turn golden brown, especially if you have a little fat on the protein that will get crispy over the long cooking period.  The potatoes will then cook in the savory juices from the meat along with any additional ingredients you add.

This one's super easy and super versatile. Don't have Herbs de Provence? Try it with your favorite seasoning blend instead! It would be delicious with Victoria's Gourmet Tuscan Blend, Chili Cinnamon Rub, or even the Ginger Citrus blend! Victoria's Gourmet sent me a huge package of seasoning blends several years ago and I still use them nearly every day! Check out my favorite way to store the small seasoning tins!

Slow Cooker Chicken Provence with Red Potatoes
free of gluten, dairy, soy, and grains
created by Carrie Forbes of Gingerlemongirl.com
printer-friendly version

Ingredients:

• 4 bone-in chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 5 medium size red potatoes (enough to fit the bottom of a 4 quart oval slow cooker)
• 1/3 cup white wine or cider vinegar
• 2-3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon herbs de provence seasoning blend (McCormick's Gourmet is a great brand too, look for it in the spice aisle of your grocery store)
• freshly ground salt & pepper, to taste
• Optional: 2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice for serving

Directions: 

1. Place (washed & patted dry) whole red potatoes in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. (You can easily double this recipe if you have a larger 6-quart slow cooker!) 
2. Place the chicken thighs on top of the potatoes. Drizzle the white wine over the potatoes followed by the olive oil. 
3. Sprinkle the herbs de provence and the ground salt & pepper evenly over the chicken. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours. 
4. Serve 1 chicken thigh per person with a quartered red potato. Make sure to ladle some of the juices from the bottom of the slow cooker over the chicken and potatoes, it's delicious! To brighten the dish just before serving squeeze some fresh lemon juice or lime juice over each plate. Serve with a fresh salad on the side. 

Carrie's Kitchen Notes: 

•  If you have any leftover chicken and potatoes, remove the chicken from the bone and cut into small pieces, dice up the potatoes and mix with the juices in the bottom of the slow cooker for a chicken & potato stew. You can add cooked green beans and carrots to make a more complete meal. 
• I prefer bone-in chicken because it has more flavor and it will withstand long cooking times in the slow cooker without falling apart or losing texture. 
• You can use any type of potatoes you'd like in this dish. Red potatoes worked great, but it would be delicious with yellow, white, or purple potatoes too! 
• You can also add a few heirloom tomatoes chopped up to the slow cooker before cooking for extra flavor. 

Gluten Free Moravian Chicken Pie Recipe

(This was a post I found in the archives that I meant to share months ago and it somehow was never published... I think it's perfect for January and for those who love serious comfort foods! Enjoy! -- Carrie) 

Before I went gluten-free one of my favorite places to eat lunch was this little place called "The Sugar Plum Shop." Actually you never ate there, you just picked up your food and went on your merry way.

At Sugar Plum you had the choice of three items: a pimiento cheese sandwich, a chicken salad sandwich, or a slice of Moravian Chicken Pie. More often than not, I had the pie.

The pie was basically cooked chicken in a thick sauce poured into a pie crust and topped with with an additional crust or a savory crumble topping. It sounds kinda boring, but it was and still is serious comfort food. No veggies (of course you could add them if you want), just sauce and tons of meaty chicken and flaky crust.

While we were recently traveling I bought some gluten-free frozen pie crusts at Earthfare and the first thing that popped into my mind was Moravian pie. I hadn't had any in years, I think since I had been gluten-free... and I thought... these crusts are MEANT for a savory chicken pie.

I don't know actual background of the pie. We have a history of the Moravian community in the Piedmont area of North Carolina and I think the idea of this pie may have originated there. It's also similar to some pie recipes I've seen in Amish cookbooks. It is simple, comfort-food cooking at it's very best.  Go ahead add veggies if you want.. but really, just give me the plain 'ol chicken pie!

Here's how I make it: 

Gluten-Free Moravian Chicken Pie

free of gluten/dairy/soy

adapted by carrie of gingerlemongirl.com

printer-friendly recipe

Crust:

1 - 8" or 9" prepared gluten-free, dairy-free pie crust, unbaked (store-bought or homemade -- scroll to the bottom of the page for the pie crust recipe)

Filling: 

2 1/2 cups cooked chicken (or the cooked meat from a small roasting chicken)

2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil

3 tablespoons brown rice flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free chicken broth (or use the broth from cooking the chicken)

Crumble Topping: 

1/4 cup brown rice flour

3 tablespoons butter or coconut oil

pinch salt

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sauce pan melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of brown rice flour, sea salt, and ground pepper. Whisk to cook flour in the butter for 2-3 minutes. Slowly pour in the gluten-free chicken broth. Start with 1 cup and if you want a more "saucy" pie add the additional 1/2 cup of broth. Whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until sauce has thickened. Add cooked chicken to the sauce. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes to heat chicken through. Pour chicken and sauce into the prepared gluten-free pie crust. In a small bowl mix together the topping ingredients: 1/4 cup brown rice flour, 3 tablespoons of butter, and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle the crumbly mixture evenly over the surface of the pie. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the sauce around the edges of the pie is bubbly and the top of the pie is golden brown. Allow pie to cool for about 20 minutes before serving. Serve with steamed veggies on the side or a fresh green salad. This pie is delicious hot or cold! 

Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook -- "Tuscan Chicken and White Beans"

I've asked several readers and fans to try recipes from my upcoming gluten-free slow cooker cookbook! Throughout the next few weeks, I plan on sharing their thoughts (from emails and pictures) on the recipes they have tried in my new book!

This review comes from Suzanne and Chris N. They decided to try the Tuscan Chicken and White Beans, a recipe from the Poultry chapter. Here's how the dish turned out for them: 

Hey Carrie

You had asked Suzanne (aka. "the wife") to test a recipe. Since I do the bulk of cooking here these days, that job actually fell on me (Chris, the husband).

We picked the Tuscan Chicken because it seemed like a recipe we normally would never try. I know that seems odd, but we've been adventurous lately.

My first impressions were not optimistic. I had to go buy a bunch of cans, which is not how we normally cook. We prefer to cook with fresh ingredients, particularly this time of year when they are so plentiful, good, and inexpensive. In any case, I followed the recipe to the letter despite my temptation to substitute fresh stuff here and there.

I must say we were pleasantly surprised. It was really good. Not sure what more I can say other than I wouldn't change it a bit. The dish was seasoned perfectly and well balanced. No particular ingredient overtook the dish. Because there is just the two of us, there was plenty leftover, so we both took some for lunch the next day, and we agreed that warmed up a day later, it tasted even better. I guess that makes sense for a dish designed to stew in a slow-cooker all day.

...We served it over rice noodles.

Many, many thanks to Suzanne and Chris for trying the Tuscan Chicken and White Beans. I specifically designed a lot of the recipes in this book so they would be "pantry-friendly" -- so for those of you who don't always have fresh vegetables available, recipes such as this can be super easy and just as healthy. I'm so glad Suzanne and Chris tried this recipe and enjoyed it! 

{Secret Recipe Club} Jason's BBQ Adventures

This month for the secret recipe club, I was paired with Jason's BBQ Adventures. I have to admit it was a challenge for me because we don't do much BBQ'ing around here. I'm the cook in our house and it's very rare for me to fire up the grill. We only have a little charcoal grill and I'm usually too impatient to wait for the coals to get hot enough... lol

So I decided for one of Jason's recipes I would use our stove top grill pan. We LOVE this pan. We use it for burgers, for salmon, for panini's, etc... it's a great pan and it's easier to clean than the George Foreman. lol...

I chose an easy chicken recipe from Jason since I knew it would probably work well with the grill pan. I loved this chicken. I've never made my own barbecue rub before so that was really fun! I'd definitely love to make more of Jason's recipes and maybe even fire up the charcoal grill to try them!

I served this chicken with steamed mixed vegetables and mashed sweet potatoes. We really enjoyed this meal and I like Jason's idea of making a bunch of this chicken at the beginning of the week to serve with meals when you need a healthy protein.

Make sure to stop by Jason's BBQ Adventures for great chicken, pork, beef, and sandwich recipes!

If you'd like to join in on Amanda's Secret Recipe Club, please visit her blog and sign up!

{Gluten Free One Pot Meals} Quick Chicken & Broccoli Skillet Recipe

Cute & super cheap "diner-style" wide flat bowls we found!!

Love this quick, one pot skillet meal Michael & I came up with tonight. It literally took us less than 20 minutes to make dinner, that included all the prep work & cooking!

After my health assessment at the gym yesterday I knew I needed to be more serious about cutting back on added fat and sodium. Even though we've really cut back from portion sizes, salt, and types of fat we use... I know I'm still adding too much to meals inadvertently.

So dinner tonight has no added salt. Feel free to add some if you'd like. It also has very little fat, but TONS of flavor. I've been using Kitchen Basic's gluten free unsalted chicken broth for months! I love using it in soups and stews, but it's also nice as a light sauce in one pot dishes like this!

As with most of the one pot meals I'll be sharing, this recipe is just an outline. Feel free to play. Use flavors or seasonings that suit your family's tastes and health needs. I used Mrs. Dash's salt free Caribbean Citrus for the meal tonight. I thought it added a really zesty & fun flavor to the dish. Next time I might even add a splash of pineapple juice to the broth to compliment the seasoning!

The meal cooked in about 15 minutes. I decided to just make it a one pot meal so there would be less dishes to wash and really... it's just so much easier to store the leftovers!

Quick & Easy Tip: For the cooked brown rice in this recipe I used Bird's Eye Steamfresh brown rice in a microwavable bag.  Another great option is Uncle Ben's Ready Rice, it's already cooked and just takes 90 seconds in the microwave to heat up (and it's completely gluten free whole grain brown rice!) If want to make pre-cooked brown rice for this week, this is a great way to do it: Brown Rice Bowls, from the 30 Days GF Quick & Easy Meals series.

Quick Chicken & Broccoli One Pot Skillet Meal
-a recipe template by Carrie Forbes of Gingerlemongirl.com -
free of gluten, dairy/casein and soy

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts or skinless chicken thighs (breasts are healthier, but I only had thighs in the freezer)
1 tablespoon olive oil or non-stick cooking spray
3-4 cups fresh (or frozen) broccoli florets
1 cup sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned - just make sure to rinse canned thoroughly, to remove excess salt)
1 small onion, finely chopped (-OR- If you're in a hurry just use 2-3 tablespoons of dried onion flakes)
1-2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
1 1/2 - 2 cups unsalted chicken broth
2 cups cooked brown rice
freshly ground pepper
2-3 teaspoons garlic powder (we love garlic!! Also of course you can just use fresh garlic)
2-3 teaspoons Mrs. Dash's salt free Caribbean Citrus seasoning (or your favorite flavor!)
*Optional: 1 tablespoon chopped roasted red peppers -or- pimientos to sprinkle on each serving

Directions:
Cut the chicken into bite size pieces, the smaller the pieces the faster they will cook in the skillet meal! Add olive oil or non-stick cooking spray to your large skillet and heat until it sizzles. Add chicken to hot skillet and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until it's browned and cooked through. Add broccoli, mushrooms, and onions to the skillet and stir. Sprinkle sweet rice flour over all ingredients in the pan and slowly pour in 1 1/2 - 2 cups of unsalted chicken broth over the vegetables and chicken. Add remaining seasonings and stir. Cover dish and cook for 5-10 additional minutes until the sauce thickens slightly (and it will continue to thicken when it's cool) and is simmering! Makes 4-6 (about 1 cup) servings.

Enjoy!!

How to Quick Brine a Gluten Free Turkey

I've never been a huge fan of turkey breast... until now. It wasn't until I decided to take the plunge and try a "brine" on a turkey breast did I understand what all the fuss was about.

It makes some durn good turkey!

I think the reason I never really liked turkey breast meat was because it was always incredibly dry to me. Dark meat has always been my favorite, but now I think that might just change.

Brining a turkey breast doesn't have to be a chore. Thanks to my friend Holly I learned a super quick & easy method of brining. You'll still need about 8-12 hours to allow the turkey to soak in all the goodness from the brine, but actually making the brining bath can be super easy:

Easy Brine for a 7-8 pound Turkey Breast:
1/2 cup sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2-3 tablespoons peppercorns
2-3 tablespoons dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons dried garlic powder
Whatever other spices/flavors you want to add: apple cider, orange peels, bay leaves, etc...

Fill a large stockpot about halfway full of hot, filtered tap water. Add the salt and stir it up until the salt has dissolved in the water. Add all the other ingredients and then add several bowlfuls of ice to completely cool the water. Add your turkey breast to the stockpot. Add enough cold water to cover (if you don't have enough already. Place the stock pot in the fridge for 12-24 hours before cooking the turkey.

To Roast the Turkey Breast:
Remove the turkey breast from the brine. Rinse it off with cold water and pat it dry. Place in a large roasting pan, breast side up. Rub the meat & skin of the turkey with melted butter. Roast for 20 minutes per pound in a preheated 350 degree oven. (Some people say that's too high a temp to roast a turkey, but it's always worked fine for me! I'm a little nervous to roast it at a much lower temp due to food safety issues.) To help the turkey brown, make a basting mixture of 1/2 cup melted butter (I used ghee), 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or soy sauce substitute like coconut aminos or chickpea miso tamari -- this is what I used!). Pour or brush basting sauce over the turkey after 30 minutes of roasting and then baste the turkey again every 30 minutes or so until the turkey breast has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

The drippings & basting mixture make a really awesome gravy too! :-)

To Make Gravy:
Pour pan drippings/basting mixture from turkey into a medium sized pot. Whisk in about 1/4 cup of sorghum flour or brown rice flour. When the mixture starts to thicken slowly whisk in 2-3 cups of gluten free vegetable or chicken stock. Because the basting mixture uses maple syrup & the soy sauce (or soy sauce substitute like I used) it should be naturally a rich brown color. Whisking the gravy constantly will help you to have a smooth delicious gravy. If you need to thicken the broth more, mix about a tablespoons of brown rice or sorghum flour into about 1/4 cup of additional broth, until it's smooth and then add it into the gravy, so you won't have lumps!

For an excellent video gravy tutorial, visit Gluten Free Girl & The Chef!

Happy Gluten Free Thanksgiving Everyone!

Carrie

Gluten Free Chicken Lettuce Wraps by The Gluten Free Notebook

Today's guest post & recipe is shared by celiac sisters Shelley and Suman of the blog, The Gluten Free Notebook. 


Gluten Free Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I made these on a whim one day, wanting something light and fresh on a very hot summer day. They turned out delicious!

Chicken:

• 1-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized strips or pieces
• salt and pepper to taste

Add a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan and heat on med-high heat and sauté chicken until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Noodles: 

1 package A Taste of Thai Peanut Noodles or any other flavoured gluten free rice noodles of your preference.

Cook as per directions on the package.

Vegetable mixture:

• 1/2 small onion finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk finely diced
• 2 carrots grated (reserve one grated carrot for topping the lettuce wraps at the end)
• 6-7 button mushrooms diced
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon gluten free soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and add all chopped vegetables except mushrooms. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until onion has softened slightly. Add the mushrooms and the soy sauce and continue to cook until the mushrooms reduce. Remove mixture from heat.

Fresh Toppings:

• 1 grated carrot (reserved from above)
• 5 green onions chopped (green and white parts)
• blanched peanuts-coarsely chopped

You will also need:

• 1 head of iceberg lettuce, washed and carefully separated
• sweet chilli sauce
• gluten free plum sauce (optional)

To assemble: Take one piece of lettuce; add a few spoonfuls of the veggie mixture. Add chicken, and then add noodles, fresh grated carrot and sprinkle with some of the chopped green onions. Sprinkle some chopped peanuts over top. Finish with a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce and/or plum sauce. I used both. Just remember that a little of each goes a long way. Wrap and enjoy.  If you are a vegetarian, just leave the chicken out and the recipe tastes just as good.

Serves 3-4

About Shelley & Suman

Shelley and Suman are two celiac sisters discovering the gluten-free way of life in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley! Having been diagnosed since 2004, they are constantly learning about the gluten-free lifestyle and hope to help others through their website (www.glutenfreenotebook.com).

The Gluten Free Notebook is a collaboration of Shelley and Suman’s gluten-free findings in Vancouver, Canada and its surrounding suburb Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. On their website, one can find a compilation of places to shop for GF items, a list of their favourite GF products, their favourite recipe books and websites. In addition, they include any gluten free restaurants they have discovered in the area.  Shelley and Suman love to find great new recipes, healthy alternatives and are passionate about finding new gluten free products and dining options. All this information is shared on their website as a resource in the hopes of helping others find more GF options.

Gluten Free Pasta Recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade gluten free chicken noodle soup... or also known as chicken pastry in Eastern NC

Before going gluten free I had never attempted to make homemade pasta. Why bother if you could pick up a box of spaghetti noodles at the store on the way home? Most days I still feel that way. Thank GOODNESS for Tinkyada. 

When I moved to Eastern NC for college one of the first local foods I learned about was chicken pastry. I had never heard of this dish. My mother made chicken & dumplings when I was growing up. The dumplings were basically biscuits that were added to a mixture of chicken broth and cream of chicken soup and they were allowed to "bake" on top of the soup in a covered pot. They were light & fluffy and soaked in that delicious chicken broth. It still brings back good memories. 

Eastern NC's answer to my mom's chicken & dumplings is chicken pastry. Basically thick noodles cooked in chicken broth. These noodles are usually either homemade or bought in the freezer section of North Carolina grocery stores. A popular brand to buy is Anne's, which are marketed as flat dumplings. But don't call them dumplings, my mother-in-law wouldn't have the slightest idea what you were talking about. 

Turns out making homemade noodles, pasta, or pastry as we say in Eastern NC... it's not hard. It took me less than 20 minutes to mix the dough and roll out the noodles for our soup last night. 20 minutes. It would take that long to cook a box of pasta (which on most nights, trust me... I'd rather do!) 

Making homemade gluten free pasta. I rolled the dough out by hand and cut the strips with a pizza cutter. 

This recipe is a variation of Thomas's gluten free pasta for pierogies. It's a simple dough and the recipe just works well. I've made this probably 10-12 times now and each time... it makes great noodles. If you have a pasta machine the dough would work beautifully with it. 

I make the dough, divide it into three balls and quickly roll it out into thick strips of pasta. You could make ravioli, spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine... basically any kind of gluten free pasta you want. It's versatile, easy and quick. 

Personally I like thick chicken pastry best. Basic chicken soup with thick homemade noodles. I added a can of mixed vegetables and cooked, diced chicken to make a complete meal. Meals like this are pure comfort food to me. Don't be intimidated by fresh noodles. You can make homemade gluten free chicken noodle soup in 35 minutes. Why aren't you headed to the kitchen? 

Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup/ AKA Chicken Pastry with mixed vegetables.
The noodles take less than 5 minutes to cook!

Easy Gluten Free Pasta Recipe

free of gluten, dairy, and soy

adapted by Carrie @ www.gingerlemongirl.com from this recipe by Thomas of GF/CF Experience

print-friendly recipe

Dry Ingredients:

1/3 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup sorghum flour

1/3 cup arrowroot starch 

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 tbsp. non-dairy margarine

2 tablespoons almond milk

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, margarine, and milk. Stir the wet & dry ingredients together until you get a ball of thick, slightly sticky dough. Divide the dough into three balls. Sprinkle a flat, dry surface with brown rice flour so the pasta doesn't stick when you roll it out. I like to use a silpat mat or a flexible cutting board. Place your ball of dough in the center of your flat surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional brown rice flour. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the ball of dough. Roll out the dough into a wide, flat rectangle (as seen in the 2nd picture above). Cut strips of pasta (using a pizza roller) as thick or as thin as you want them. Place them on a plate and continue rolling out your balls of dough. Make sure to use more brown rice flour if you need too to prevent the noodles from sticking. 

To COOK gluten free pasta: 

Drop the pasta into hot boiling water or broth and cook for 5-8 minutes until pasta is the texture you desire. Drain & rinse the pasta to use with sauces. Leave the pasta in the broth for soup. 

For Quick Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup:

Heat 32 oz. of chicken stock/broth in a soup pot. Add 1-2 cups of cooked chicken, a drained can of mixed vegetables. Heat the soup until boiling and then add 1 batch of gluten free pasta. Cook for 5-8 additional minutes until pasta is cooked to your liking. Serve immediately. 

Carrie's Notes: 

• Be GENTLE with the pizza cutter if you're using a silpat mat, you don't want to cut your mat. I usually place an additional piece of plastic wrap on top of the silpat mat to prevent cutting it. 

• You know I love whole grain flours, but I think in this recipe you could use your favorite gluten free flour mix in place of the 1 cup of gluten free flour called for, just make sure it's not a baking mix with leavening... unless you want really puffy pasta!

• For the margarine -- I used earth balance soy free margarine. I don't see why it wouldn't work with simply using olive oil or coconut oil though. Try it and see if you're opposed to margarine.

I added this to Gluten Free Homemaker's Wednesday Roundup! Make sure to stop by and check out all of the other wonderful gluten free recipes listed! 

Quick & Easy Chicken with Homemade Barbecue Sauce by Rella

Today's guest author is Rella of the blog Penny Pinching Epicure, a wonderful allergen-friendly food blog. Rella will be sharing two of her favorite summer grill recipes with us this week!

Rella's Quick & Easy Chicken w/ Homemade BBQ Sauce

I love to barbeque; I've been spoiled this summer to be at my parents' house a lot, and they have an amazing charcoal grill. We made this recipe one hot summer evening, but now that summer is coming to a close, I'll be baking the chicken, or using a grill pan on my stove top.

The BBQ sauce recipe is partially based on my mom's sweet & sour meatball recipe, where she uses pineapple juice to sweeten the tomato sauce. Yes, you can just use a bottle of store-bought BBQ sauce, but this one is really quick to whip up, and (I think) it's much more delicious :). The secret weapon in this sauce is the allspice; most of your guests won't be able to discern what it is, but they will know that there's something special about your sauce!

Tip: Get dinner on the table faster by prepping the night before! Marinate the chicken in the BBQ sauce overnight, then just pop in the oven when you get home from work. This recipe also freezes very well, so make a double batch and you'll have dinner next week too!

Quick & Easy Chicken w/ Homemade BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp soy sauce (or use this soy-free alternative)
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients but chicken.
3. Rub BBQ sauce all over chicken, both over and under skin.
4. Bake uncovered in the oven for 35-45 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with rice and a side of asparagus (featured tomorrow on GLG) for a tasty and healthy weeknight dinner!

Fun variations:
• Add 1/2 tsp garam masala for an Indian-inspired BBQ sauce
• Add a couple of shots of sriracha for a spicy wing sauce
• Add some chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, or taragon for an earthy, herbaceous sauce

Rella of Penny Pinching Epicure has been dairy free for 4 years and gluten free for 1. Almost a year ago, she launched her blog as a way to show that you can make gourmet, delicious food and still maintain a pretty tight food budget, even with food allergies!

30 Day Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals: Day 27 - Vicky's Chicken with Lemon & Parsley

Welcome to 30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals!

Today's post is written by Vicky author of the blog, Gluten Free Sweets by Vicky.

Day 27 - Vicky's Pan Fried Chicken with Lemon & Parsley

It was a Wednesday when my friends decided that they were coming over for an afternoon of board games and chocolate cupcakes on the weekend. Great for them, and luckily I have the perfect cupcake recipe to impress but what about food- the actual savoury type?

Now you may or may not know that I’m more of the sugar, flour and eggs baking sort of girl. So to have lunch ready in a snap is practically unheard of. And yet, here I was, offering to feed everyone. It’s like suicide with a side of roasted potato and sour cream.

Then, doing what any other food obsessed person would do, I resorted to old copies of Delicious.

There it was, in all its dog-eared glory, a recipe that promised to be both creamy without the cream and tasty without the fancy ingredients. I decided I couldn’t get any luckier than this, and luckily, my friends said the same. And if you’re in a spot for dessert, head over to Sweets By Vicky for some good finds.


Pan Fried Chicken with Lemon and Parsley
(adapted by Sweets by Vicky from Delicious. December 2009/January 2010)
Serves 2-4

• 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup gluten free flour blend* seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 x 200g chicken breast fillets, sliced into 5 mm strips
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 3 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
  

Directions:

1. Grate the rind of the lemon and peel the lemon and thinly slice the flesh. Set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté onions until translucent and lightly browned. If onions look dry, add 1-2 tsp of water. Remove from pan.
3. Coat chicken strips in the flour and toss to combine. Shake off excess flour.
4. Heat another tbsp of olive oil over medium heat and fry half the chicken strips until lightly browned. Repeat with the remaining chicken strips.
5. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the onions back in.
6. Add wine then simmer for 2 minutes, until alcohol has evaporated.
7. Pour in the chicken stock, lemon zest and flesh. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes or until liquid has reduced by half.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add in the parsley, give the chicken a quick mix and serve atop a bed of jasmine rice or gluten free pasta, accompanied with steamed broccoli.
   

* All purpose gluten free flours are available at many grocery stores, just a few examples of different brands are:

• Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
• Gluten Free Pantry's all purpose flour
• Authentic Foods all purpose gluten free flour blend
• Montina Gluten free all purpose baking mix
  
• Hodgson Mills all purpose gluten free baking flour
• Arrowhead Mill all purpose gluten free baking mix

About Vicky

"I'm turning 22 soon, and have been in love with sweet things for the longest time. Currently I'm interning with a magazine (in Singapore) and am preparing to move back to Melbourne to be with my boyfriend of four years! :)
I'm a terrible shopaholic at heart but it's worst when I'm at the grocery store. And I really think everything is best served with a scoop of laughter on the top."
Please check out Vicky's super cute blog at Gluten Free Sweets By Vicky.



*********

Stay tuned for Day 28 in 30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals. Tomorrow Jessica from ATX Gluten Free will be sharing a wonderful, super delicious recipe especially for July 4th!

30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals: Day 22 - April's Chicken Ravelli

Welcome to 30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals!

Today's post is written by April Marlow, a fellow North Carolinian (yay April!) and author of the blog, Gluten Hates Me.

Day 22 - April's Chicken Ravelli

I am a born and raised Southerner, and most of my recipes over at Gluten Hates Me reflect my roots. But in September, I’m marrying the man of my dreams and his roots are Italian. He has been amazing since my Celiac diagnosis, and is always game for a trying out new recipes. So since he’s such a sweetie, I’ve been trying to expand my cooking into Italian…without expanding my waist line!

Chicken Ravelli was a quick and easy gluten free meal born out of my experimentation with Italian flavors. Enjoy!



April's Chicken Ravelli with a side of Balsamic Roasted Broccoli
Originally posted at Gluten Hates Me

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
One can diced tomatoes with Italian Herbs (I used Del Monte)
¼ cup chopped red onion
One small container feta cheese
½ tbsp. 0live oil
1 bunch fresh broccoli
Lite balsamic viniagrette

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the tomatoes, feta, chopped red onion, and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. You’ll want to make the “salsa” ahead of time, so that the flavors have time to meld. You could even make it the day before!

After cleaning your chicken, lightly season with salt and pepper. Spray a frying pan with cooking spray and heat to medium. Add chicken and cook through. Set aside.

Set your oven to broil. Clean your broccoli, and cut in to florets. Toss the florets in a light balsamic vinaigrette and spread on a cookie sheet. Cook the broccoli in the oven until it begins to darken, about 10 minutes.

To plate, spoon the Italian salsa over the chicken and serve with the broccoli on the side! Quick, easy, and delicious!

About Marlow

I'm April (Soon to Be) Ravelli, but in the blog world I'm known by my maiden name: Marlow. In June of 2008, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. After a final meal with an entire baguette, I went gluten free and never looked back! I started glutenhatesme.com at first to cope with the stress of my new lifestyle, but once I discovered the amazing online community of readers and bloggers I was hooked! I live in Durham, NC with my fiancé Parrish and my fur-baby Max. When not experimenting in the kitchen, I can be found working for a local non-profit that is working to eradicate poverty by supporting artisans in developing countries.

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Stay tuned tomorrow, Day 23 of 30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals as Shirley from Gluten Free Easily shares an amazingly simple & delicious gluten free dinner!

30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals: Day 13 - Kat's Slow Cooker Chicken with Artichokes

Welcome to 30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Tasty Meals!

Today's post is written by Kat Garson author of the blog, Kat's SCD Food Blog.

Day 13 - Kat's Slow Cooker Chicken with Artichokes.


This is the one meal that has followed me through every dietary change. I used to eat it with pasta, then with rice and now with zucchini noodles. I think I have figured out how to prepare this at least 4 different ways: baking, pan stir-frying, braising, and now the slow-cooker.

I love the simplicity of making this in the slow-cooker and the wonderful nutritious broth you get as a bonus. This is a meal I make pretty often and always on work days so I don't have to spend an hour when I get home preparing dinner.

Kat's Slow-cooker Chicken with Artichokes

Serves 4

The Chicken:
1 whole chicken
1 small onion
1 large carrot

The Artichokes:
2 tbsp butter
1 can artichoke hearts
1/8 cup water
juice of 1 lemon or about 4tbsp
2 tbsp honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
a few sprigs of thyme, or 1/2 tsp thyme spice
1/2 tsp sea salt & pepper

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:
First thing in the morning, chop onion and carrot and place in a slow-cooker. Place chicken on top, breast side up, and pour enough water in to come half way up the chicken. Cook on low all day.

About 15 minutes before dinner prepare the sauce. Drain the artichoke hearts and cut them into halves or quarters. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat on the stove. Add artichoke hearts, water, lemon juice, honey, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, use two forks to pull chicken meat out of the slow-cooker onto plates. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Grate Parmesan cheese over each plate (optional). Serve.

The broth and any meat leftover in the slow-cooker can be used for soup for lunch the next day. Extra broth can be strained through a sieve and stored in ice cube trays or jars in the freezer.

Carrie's Notes:
Using a slow cooker or crock pot is such a wonderful way to make a quick and easy meal! It often takes less than 20 minutes to add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and walk away! A few hours later, all you have to do is serve dinner. Easy, fast, usually a quick clean up and super healthy! A great blog resource for fast & easy gluten free slow cooker meals is Stephanie's blog, "A Year of Slow Cooking." Her "Make it Fast, Cook it Slow" cookbook is also a great gluten free buy!

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About Kat:

I have been following the SCD diet since January 2008 for self-diagnosed Celiac disease. As part of the diet I don't eat grains, sugar, or potatoes and prepare all my food from scratch. I believe that food plays a huge role in achieving health and want to share my experiences in restoring my own health through change in diet. The recipes I share follow the SCD and GAPS diet protocols, but can be enjoyed by anyone who wants to eat Real Food. Please visit Kat's blog for more of her recipes and articles.

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Stay tuned for Day 14 of 30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Tasty Meals. Ashlie from "The Delshad Duo" will be sharing one of her favorite fast gluten free recipes!

30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals: Day 11 - Deanna's Chicken & Broccoli Curry

Welcome to 30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals!

Today's post is written by Deanna,author of the blog, The Mommy Bowl.

Day 11 - Deanna's Chicken & Broccoli Curry

First of all, let me say thank you to Carrie, the fabulous Ginger Lemon Girl, for this opportunity to do my first ever guest blog post!

I love the idea of 30 days of quick and easy gluten-free recipes. As a full-time working mom of an active seven year old, I’m always looking for quick, easy, and nutritious meals.

In our house, most of our quick and easy meals are of the “make it in the time it takes to cook a pot of rice” variety. That means we have a million variations on stir-fries and curries, and they all take somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 minutes, start to finish. Well, that is if you’re handy with a knife, and have a stash of seasonings. We are particularly fond of curry pastes, and this is a simple recipe that highlights the lovely complex nature of red curry.



Deanna's Chicken and Broccoli Curry
1 T. vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 T. red curry paste (Thai Kitchen makes gluten free, vegan curry pastes)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced thinly across the grain (or ½ lb tofu or one package of tempeh)
1 can coconut milk
½ t. salt
1 head of broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 T. minced cilantro
juice of 1 lime

Directions:
In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the curry paste and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk, salt, and chicken. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for about 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the broccoli is crisp-tender (about another 5 minutes). Turn off the heat. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Serve over rice with additional lime and cilantro for garnish, if desired.

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About Deanna:

I live in Madison, Wisconsin with my son and husband and a cat named mouse. In addition to hanging out in the kitchen, I work for the University of Wisconsin Extension pounding out code on a computer, pretend to be a triathlete, and encourage women to get out and get active as a team leader of the Madison LUNA Chix cycling team. I’ve been gluten-free for 6 months, and am loving (almost) every minute of it.

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Stay tuned tomorrow for Day 12 of 30 Days Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals. Dr. Jean Layton, the Gluten Free Doctor, will be sharing one of her favorite quick recipes.

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe - Gluten Free, Casein Free, Soy Free

Is there anything that screams comfort food more than a chicken pot pie? My favorite chicken pot pie is this one, but since we don't eat dairy/casein anymore I haven't had the time to revise the recipe to leave out butter.

I remember in my old gluten-filled days I used to often make a chicken pot pie with a biscuit crust and I wondered if I could do the same with almond flour. I love almond flour because it is a high protein, low carbohydrate flour and it really works well in gluten free baking.

So after getting a little inspiration from Elana's new book (which you MUST buy if you love baking with almond flour!) I created this recipe for chicken pot pie.

It takes a little time to make the dairy free/casein free sauce to go over the chicken, but the biscuit topping is a cinch to make using almond flour and it turns out a beautiful golden crust. We LOVED this casserole and it will be in our menu rotation, especially as we enter into fall in the coming weeks! (And fall cannot get here SOON enough!)

Please don't let the long list of ingredients scare you away! This is really a very simple recipe to make and you can easily make the gluten free white sauce and the biscuit topping ahead of time if you need to!



Chicken Pot Pie with a "Buttermilk" Biscuit topping
Created by Carrie @ www.gingerlemongirl.com
(Free of gluten, dairy/casein, and soy)
*Inspired by Elana's biscuit recipe in her new book*


"Buttermilk" Biscuit Topping Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup melted coconut oil -or- olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened hemp milk -or- other non-dairy milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:
Whisk together almond flour, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl mix together oil, sugar, eggs, hemp milk, and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients and set aside. The mixture should resemble a wet cake mix.


Gluten Free, Casein Free White Sauce recipe for pot pie:

4 tablespoons sweet rice flour
2 cups unsweetened hemp milk
salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup drippings from roasted chicken -or- 1/2 cup chicken broth
1-2 teaspoons granulated gluten free chicken bouillon

Directions:
Melt dripping from roasted chicken in a large saucepan. In a glass measuring cup whisk hemp milk and sweet rice flour together. Add to saucepan with chicken drippings or chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste and granulated chicken bouillon. Cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes, whisking constantly until mixture is thick like a cream soup or gravy consistency.


Assembling the Chicken Pot Pie:

2-3 cups roasted chicken, cut or torn into bite size pieces
1 small can button mushrooms, drained
1 (12 oz.) can mixed vegetables, drained
1 recipe Gluten Free, Dairy Free White Sauce (see above)
1 recipe "Buttermilk" Biscuit Topping (see above)

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease a large and deep 9x13" casserole dish. Place chicken in the bottom of the greased casserole dish. Pour mushrooms and vegetables evenly over chicken in the baking dish. Pour prepared gluten free white sauce over the chicken and mix to combine throughout casserole. Finally spoon the "Buttermilk" biscuit topping over the casserole evenly. (I like to use a rubber spatula that has been rinsed with water to spread the biscuit topping over the casserole.) Bake the casserole for 25-30 minutes until biscuit topping is golden and crusty. You may need to set the oven on the "broil" setting for about 3 minutes to get a nice golden crust, just make sure to watch the time so you won't burn the casserole!

Let cool for 5-10 minutes and serve with a simple green salad!

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Carrie's Cooking Notes:

• The biscuit topping should be "wet" enough to easily spread over the casserole. The longer the topping sits, the more the almond flour will soak up the liquids. Feel free to add additional non-dairy milk or water until the batter will spread easily.
  

• I think the biscuit topping tastes almost like a "sourdough" topping on this pie! Almond flour is slightly sweet, so feel free to leave out the sugar called for in the biscuit topping. You can also use any type of non-dairy milk you like. Although I love the texture, taste, and feel of hemp milk!

• The White Sauce: I LOVE this gluten free/dairy free white sauce! This recipe is very versatile and you can add the flavors and seasonings of your choice. Hemp milk really is a wonderful choice in this sauce because it has such a mild flavor. Feel free to use other non-dairy types of milk, but I think the hemp milk gives the best overall flavor to the sauce.
  

• If you don't have a roasted chicken available, simply boil several chicken breasts and cut them up for the pie or use canned chicken!
  

Chipotle Chicken Paninis (Gluten Free, Low Carb)

Chipotle chili is one of my favorite savory spices! It's smokey and has a slight hint of sweetness. Just a tiny bit of this ground chili packs a serious punch of flavor.

A few weeks ago I really wanted a grilled chicken sandwich. My co-worker Jennifer makes homemade grilled chicken paninis. She uses fresh sourdough bread and makes a chipotle mayonnaise spread using Duke's and canned chipotles. Jennifer also adds a slice of fontina cheese to her chicken for serious melty-goodness.

If you started drooling at the mere mention of sourdough bread... it's okay. I did too.

I really wanted to try Jennifer's chicken paninis... minus the sourdough (*sigh*)...

And so we did!

How do you make a low carb chicken panini? You use the chicken as your "bread..."

Sound crazy? It was delicious! We pounded the chicken breasts super flat and grilled them in the george foreman for about 5 minutes until they were chargrilled and juicy and then added lettuce, tomato, and sliced havarti in between two peices of chicken. It was fantastic. And NOW these spicy sandwiches are in our weekly dinner rotation.

Tell me what you think! You don't need bread to have a good sandwich. I promise!

Carrie's Chipotle Chicken Paninis

1-2 lbs. chicken breasts
1/2 cup Dukes mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons ground chipotle chili
salt-free tomato basil seasoning
freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato, sliced
6-7 leaves romaine lettuce, washed and patted dry
3-4 slices havarti or fontina cheese
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat indoor countertop grill or start outdoor grill.

1.) Making chipotle mayonnaise: In a small bowl mix mayonnaise with ground chipotle chili. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

2.) Grilling Chicken: Using a clean pair of kitchen shears, cut chicken breasts into at least 3 peices each. Pound peices of chicken with a meat mallot until very thin. Sprinkle chicken peices with tomato-basil seasoning and freshly ground pepper. Grill on countertop grill for 4-6 minutes until chargrilled and juicy. Place cooked chicken on a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep hot while continuing to cook remaining chicken.

3.) Preparing chicken paninis: When ready to serve place 2 peices of chicken on a plate. Slather chipotle mayonnaise on both "slices" of chicken. Place several slices of havarti or fontina cheese on the chicken along with slices of tomato and peices of romaine lettuce. Place the 2nd "slice" of chicken on top of the "sandwich" and place back in the countertop grill for about 1-2 minutes until cheese is slightly melted. Serve IMMEDIATELY!

Enjoy!

Crunchy Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole (Gluten Free)

One of my grandmother's favorite recipes was for a chicken casserole with ritz crackers and poppy seeds. It was a buttery and delicious casserole that called for 2 sticks of melted butter, and 2 sleeves of crushed ritz crackers... oh it was heavenly! (Not to mention completely unhealthy!)

I had sort of forgotten about that casserole until a few weeks ago when I saw some ritz crackers. I just sighed. I knew I'd probably never taste that casserole again. I just couldn't think of any way to make a gluten free version. The only gluten free crackers we eat are nut based, like Blue Diamond Almond or Pecan Nut Thins. I thought about crushing those and putting them on top of the casserole, but I didn't think that would give the casserole the texture or taste I desired.

A few weeks ago my dear friend Clara sent me some almond flour. Almond flour is simply almonds that have been ground up so they have a flour-like consistency. If they were ground any finer they would be almond butter! At any rate, Clara raved about using almond flour in her own gluten free baking and cooking. She lives close to a Trader Joe's that sells this flour for a reasonable price and offered to send me some. I had to accept.

I have done SO much baking with this amazing almond flour!! I've used it in cakes, tarts, muffins, and now for several casseroles as a crispy topping!

The naturally healthy fats that are in almonds will slightly sweeten and crisp up beautifully during baking and create a wonderfully tasty, golden crust!! They were the perfect substitute for crushed ritz crackers in this casserole.

I have made this casserole healthier by drastically cutting the salt and saturated fats called for in the original recipe. I hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as I have!

This is the perfect recipe for leftover holiday chicken and turkey! Delicious!!


Carrie's Crunchy Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole

2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, cut into bite size pieces
2 cups homemade gluten free cream soup **dairy free alternative -- see below**
1 teaspoon gluten free chicken bouillon granules
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic crushed garlic clove -or- 1 teaspoon garlic granules
4 ounces sour cream -or- **dairy free substitute -- see below**
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 small can sliced water chestnuts, diced
1 can low-salt young peas, rinsed
1/2 cup carrots, sliced and cooked ** cooking instructions -- see below**
5 tablespoons almond flour/meal
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons poppy seeds


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make gluten free cream soup as directed. Add 1 teaspoon of gluten free chicken bouillon, ground pepper, and a crushed garlic clove, or garlic granules. Mix sour cream into the cream soup mixture. Set aside.

Grease a 2qt (or larger) casserole dish. Place cooked chicken in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle sliced almonds over the chicken. In a medium sized bowl mix rinsed peas, cooked carrots, water chestnuts together. Pour vegetable mixture over chicken and sliced almonds. Pour cream soup mixture over entire casserole.

Sprinkle almond flour/meal evenly over top of entire casserole. And pour melted butter over almond meal. Lastly sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Bake for 35-45 minutes until casserole is hot and bubbly! Let cool for 10 minutes before serving! We really loved this casserole!



Carrie's Notes:

** Dairy Free Substitute for sour cream: If you cannot use sour cream, use a non-dairy yogurt or thick coconut milk mixed with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. This will create the rich sour flavor that is truly unique about this casserole.

** Cooked Carrots: Simply slice fresh carrots and place in microwavable bowl with 1/2 cup of water. Cook for 5 minutes to steam carrots. Drain water from bowl and add carrots to recipe!

** For a non-dairy cream soup, simply use a non-dairy substitute for the milk. I think hemp milk would add a lovely mellow flavor to this casserole!



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Enjoy!!



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NEWS:

I will be posting the 2008 GLUTEN FREE Christmas Cookie Round up on Monday December 15th, 2008. If you have a cookie you would like added to the roundup, please email me at
gingerlemon_girl (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Happy Holidays!!