Chicken Parmesan Roll-ups

Somehow this meal has lasted Sunday through Wednesday. Jason and I had a couple nights where we didn’t get home for dinner so the leftovers have stretched to today. It’s a very filling dish that tastes like comfort food without the extra heaviness that usually comes with chicken parmesan and pasta. My friend Kira passed along this chicken recipe and I’m incredibly thankful for it! I served the chicken with spaghetti squash and roasted asparagus.

Chicken Parmesan Roll-ups
(Recipe credit to the girl who ate everything)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian style diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 thin-cut, boneless, skinless chicken cutlets, about 1 1/4 pounds (or slice regular chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create your own cutlets)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup Italian seasoned gluten free bread crumbs (or panko)

1. Heat oven to 475 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Take mixture off the heat and stir in half of basil. Transfer half of sauce to baking dish.

2. Combine mozzarella and Parmesan in medium bowl; reserve ½ cup of the mixture. Add remaining basil to remaining cheese. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Top cutlets with basil-cheese mixture, leaving 1-inch border at bottom of cutlets. Roll up tightly and arrange, seam side down, in prepared baking dish.

3. Toss bread crumbs with remaining oil in small bowl. Top chicken with reserved cheese, remaining sauce, and bread-crumb mixture.

4. Bake until chicken is cooked through and crumbs are golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts you may have to cook them longer.

Sautéed Spaghetti Squash
1 large spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil
Salt and pepper

1. Cut spaghetti squash in half, longways. Sometimes you may need to bring in some assistance as it’s a tough vegetable to cut!

2. Remove all seeds from inside. Place face down on a baking dish with a touch of olive oil on the exposed flesh of the squash. Add about a cup of water to the pan, to help steam as well as roast. Cook at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

3. When the squash is finished cooking and tender, use a fork to scrape out the squash into spaghetti-like form.

4. Heat a touch of olive oil in a large pan and cook the garlic until fragrant, careful not to burn. Add the squash and cook for a few minutes to incorporate the garlic. Add salt and pepper, and basil. Serve with marinara sauce and ricotta cheese, if desired.

 Roasted Asparagus

(Roasted asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper at 400 for 12 minutes.)