Friday, September 14, 2007

Amuse Bouche

Amuse what? Amuse Bouche (A-moos Boo-sh) is french for "pleasing to the mouth." Usually it is a small little pre-appetizer at fancy restaurant. I am using the term for a weekly recipe I have tried that is a real family pleaser.

Chicken parmesan is a perennial favorite. This version, that I developed with some ideas from a friend, is healthy, tasty and really easy to make. I usually double the recipe and stick one in the freezer for a go-to meal on a busy night.

Chicken Parm
1/4 c whole wheat flour (can use white)
2 T ground flax seed (can use flour to replace if you don't have this ingredient)
1/3 c shredded or grated parmesan cheese
1/4 t ground black pepper
2 egg whites, beaten
1- 1 1/2 pound of chicken breast tenders, thin sliced if possible
2 T olive oil
1 32 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
1 c of shredded skim mozzarella cheese
pasta

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine first four ingredients in a shallow bowl. Place egg in another bowl. Take the chicken and dip in the egg and then dredge in the flour mixture. In a nonstick skillet over medium high heat, pour 1 T of the olive oil into the pan. Add chicken for about 5 minutes on each side and then place each piece of chicken in a 9 x 13 baking dish as you complete it, overlapping as necessary. You may have to do a second batch of the chicken in the skillet (use the extra 1 T of olive oil if another batch is necessary). Once chicken is done, pour the spaghetti sauce of the top and then finish with the cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly brown. Serve over the pasta of your choice.

**If you want to freeze this dish, when you are ready to cook, cook covered with foil for 30 minutes, and then 15-20 minutes uncovered.**

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