Gluten Free Shake and Bake Chicken
One of those recipes that brings back lots of memories of my mum making and easy dinner is shake and bake. A really and easy recipe, it is something of a comfort food for me. Of course Shake and Bake is made with regular bread crumbs and lots of other stuff I can’t have. So to have this comfort food remake, we took the classic, added a gluten free twist and made a Gluten Free Shake and Bake Chicken Remake.
Shake and Bake is the name of a Kraft foods product, made of a flavored bread crumb that you add to uncooked chicken or pork. Shake to coat, then bake to cook.
How to make Gluten Free Shake and Bake
Coating chicken in bread crumbs to bake isn’t something new. It gives the meat a nice coating, without the added fats of frying and it is an easy to make dish.
My Gluten Free Shake and Bake coating has 3 easy components:
- Homemade gluten free Italian Breadcrumbs
- Spices
- Salt and pepper to season
For the breadcrumb coating, I preferred to use a Homemade version. In this way I could control the overall flavor of the coating. To make the gluten free Italian breadcrumbs, I used my homemade breadcrumb recipe as the base and seasoned accordingly.
Next for the spices! In the Caribbean we love food that is flavorful, so making sure the coating was well seasoned was important. For this we used:
- Smoked Paprika or regular if you don’t have smoked
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Dried Oregano
Once you’ve got those major components it’s just to add salt and pepper to season, then coat your meat and bake, or it can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Tips for Coating the Chicken
To coat the chicken or pork, you can average the amount of shake and bake you use. However the ratio that works for me is 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup for every 2 pounds of meat.
When coating your chicken it, use a strong bag that can take the shaking. The first time I made this recipe I used a thin bag and I ended up with a shake and bake kitchen. Not fun to clean up!
Coat your chicken in batches, especially if you are doing larger amounts. This ensures that each piece gets evenly coated. Overcrowding can result in patches of uncoated chicken.
Usually I end up with a little leftover coating. Instead of throwing it out, I sprinkle the extra on the chicken and get a nice crunchy coating.
Gluten Free Shake and Bake Chicken Remake
Enjoy this well know favorite gluten free with our Homemade Gluten Free Shake and Bake Chicken Remake!
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless Chicken breast cut in fillets
To make the Italian Breadcrumbs
- 2 cups Gluten Free Bread Crumbs (plain)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
To make the Shake and Bake Coating
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
For the Shake and Bake Mix
- In a bowl combine all the ingredients for the Italian breadcrumbs. Mix well to combine.
- Measure out 1 cup, add to another bowl, then store the balance in an air tight container for approximately 3 weeks.
- Next, to the 1 cup of italian breadcrumbs, add the ingredients for the shake and bake mix listed.
- Mix well to combine then set aside.
To make the Shake and Bake Chicken
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a sheet tray with parchment then set aside.
- In a zipper close bag, add approximately half cup of the shake and bake mix. Add a couple pieces of the chicken, shake well to ensure that all the pieces are evenly coated.
- Transfer to the prepared baking tray then continue to coat the balance of chicken, adding more mix if needed.
- Once all the chicken is coated, you can top with any leftover coating from the bag.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 - 35 minutes until cooked.
- Serve with your favourite sides and enjoy!
Notes
- If you're a pork fan, you can swap the chciken breast for boneless pork chops and adjust cooking time as needed.
- Instead of chicken breat fillets, you could turn this recipe into shake and bake nuggets. Simply reduce cooking time as needed.
