Tag: Gluten-Free Main Dish

Thai Sweet Chili Chicken Gluten-Free – Twiins Style

Published on by Twiins in the Kitchen1 Comment

Thai Sweet Chili Chicken Gluten-Free - Twiins Style

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy

It's no secret our second favorite cuisine after Italian is Thai. Who can resist crispy, tender chicken bites coated in a scrumptious sweet chili & sesame seed sauce just like your favorite Thai restaurant? Since we haven't been going out during this pandemic, we wanted to reproduce the meals we would order at a restaurant. Tonight we served it over Jasmine brown rice which soaks up the flavorful sweet chili sauce. Our husbands gave us rave reviews so we hope your family will too. Try this recipe for a quick & easy weeknight meal or impress your friends & family with great appetizers once you can gather again. 😋😋

Ingredients

  • deep skillet or wok
  • oil for frying (peanut or canola or olive)
  • 4 large skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1½-inch cubes
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup gluten-free flour (Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
  • 3/4 cup corn starch
  • 1½ cups Thai sweet chili sauce (store-bought or homemade, check the label to make sure it’s GF)
  • 1/3 cup sliced green onions
  • 2-3 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted in a small, dry skillet
  • 2 cups brown jasmine rice
  • 4 cups gluten-free chicken broth

Directions

  1. Place brown jasmine rice in a medium bowl filled with cold water, enough to cover rice. Set aside for 20 minutes. (soaking in water helps breakdown the bran and keeps the rice from sticking together.)
  2. While the rice is soaking, use this time to start prepping the chicken & the remainder of ingredients.
  3. After 20 minutes, drain the rice and place in a medium saucepan. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
  4. Once boiling, lower heat to a low simmer and cover. Cover and cook approximately 40 minutes, check after 30 minutes.
  5. Using a shallow bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt & pepper and mix well.
  6. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
  7. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg then roll into the flour mixture to coat well. Repeat with all of the chicken pieces.
  8. Heat about 3-inches of oil in a wok or deep skillet. Make sure oil is very hot before adding dredged chicken.
  9. Fry 5-8 pieces of chicken at a time, depending on the width of your skillet, until golden brown. Do not overcrowd as it will cause the chicken to steam instead of crisping.
  10. Remove and drain on paper towels then repeat until all the chicken is cooked.
  11. Heat chili sauce until hot. Pour over the chicken bites to combine. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and green onions.
  12. Spread cooked rice on a plate and top with sweet chili chicken bites. Garnish with extra green onions and enjoy!

Prep all ingredients
Frying dredged chicken pieces in a wok
Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet
Place cooked chicken bites on paper towels to absorb excess oil
Thai Sweet Chili Chicken ready to serve
Plate & ready to eat & enjoy!

 

NOTE: If you want to include more vegetables in your meal,  steam some broccoli or cut green beans and add to the chicken before serving.

HELP OUR BLOG GROW! 

If you enjoyed trying one of our recipes, please give it a star rating at the bottom of the recipe page. This helps our recipe get a higher Google ranking and will lead others to find and enjoy our recipes too. Thanks so much for your support!

Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below or Tag @twiinsinthekitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #twiinsinthekitchen.

 

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

 

Zoodle Spaghetti – Twiins Style

Published on by Twiins in the Kitchen2 Comments


  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy

The other night we were so engrossed with updating this blog that we completely forgot about dinner! We realized it at 5:00 pm! After searching in the refrigerator we found country sausage, zucchini, and some leftover tomato sauce so we whipped up a really quick & tasty dinner. On nights when you are pressed for time, this recipe is not only quick & easy but also delicious, healthy & satisfying. There's a bonus too... it's low carb, keto-friendly, and gluten-free. You won't miss the pasta at all. Our family loves it with ricotta cheese on top...it's delicious! Give it a try and let us hear from you. 😋😋

Ingredients

  • Spiralizer (we use the Veggetti-Pro Tabletop Spiral Vegetable Cutter, thick spiral blade)
  • 6 medium zucchini
  • 2 cloves garlic (we use Dorot frozen cubes for consistency)
  • 1 lb bulk Neese’s Sausage, hot or regular
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup pre-made tomato sauce (more or less depending on your preference)
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • ricotta (for topping)
  • Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Directions

  1. Wash unpeeled zucchini then dry well. Cut the end stem from one end of the zucchini then using the spiralizer thick ribbon blade, spiralize all the zucchini. Set aside.
  2.  In a large hot skillet place the bulk sausage and brown completely on all sides, crumbling the sausage as it cooks.
  3. Add the garlic and continue cooking another minute. Stir well then add the butter combining well.
  4. Add the zucchini spirals and mix with the sausage.
  5. Cook until zucchini is soft or al dente then add a cup of pre-made tomato sauce and mix well. Heat until sauce is hot. Remove from heat.
  6. Serve in a pasta dish and sprinkle with grated Pecorino Ramano cheese then top with a dollop of creamy ricotta cheese and enjoy.

Add Zucchini noodles after browning sausage meat
Add Zucchini noodles after browning sausage meat
Add tomato sauce
Add tomato sauce

Notes:  Additional tomato sauce may be added depending on your preference. For those of you who must have pasta, just cook up a little gluten-free pasta (or regular pasta if gluten is not a health issue) and add the cooked pasta at the end to combine with the zoodles.

Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below or Tag @twinsinthekitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #twiinsinthekitchen.


Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

 

Chicken Madeira

Published on by Twiins in the Kitchen2 Comments


  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy

Move over Chicken Marsala...we're here to introduce you to our juicy Chicken Maderia that will elevate your dinner to a whole new level that's sure to please!  Tender chicken breasts combined with mushrooms and asparagus in a wonderful creamy Madeira sauce topped with melted gooey mozzarella (or as our old family from Brooklyn would say, Mootzadell, dropping the last vowel of a word was very common because they were always in a hurry! In carrying on that tradition, we think we'll start to call it Mootz) 😂😂  Whichever way you pronounce it, this dish is delicious. Our family loves this chicken dish and we hope it will become a new favorite of yours. We're sure your family and friends will be asking for more just like ours do so you might want to make a double batch!  😋 😋

Ingredients

  • 12 -15 thinly sliced chicken breasts, season with salt & pepper
  • 2 bundles of asparagus, blanched
  • 6 Tablespoons butter, divided
  • 4 Tablespoons EVOO, divided
  • 32 oz small button mushrooms, washed and dried thoroughly
  • 2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced (or 4 frozen Dorot garlic cubes)
  • 4 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped plus extra for garnish
  • 3 cups Madeira wine
  • 3 cups beef stock or broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • salt & pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Trim asparagus by snapping the ends off. Wash well and set aside.
  2. In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil, enough to cover asparagus and boil for 3-4 minutes. Remove to a large bowl filled with ice water to stop color turning. Drain well then set aside.
  3. In a large oven-proof skillet on medium-high heat melt half the butter & half the EVOO until hot. Add the whole mushrooms and cook 5 minutes until golden brown. Add the onion and cook 3-4 minutes then add the garlic & parsley. Cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove the mushroom mixture to a separate bowl and set aside.
  4. In the same skillet on medium-high heat, add the remaining butter and EVOO. Once hot, place seasoned chicken breasts in a single layer and sear quickly about 2 minutes on each side, just to get golden brown. Do not overcook as the chicken will finish cooking when everything is combined. Remove chicken and drain in layers on paper towels. Set aside.
  5. In the same skillet on high, add the Maderia wine and boil until reduced by half, approximately 6-8 minutes. Add the beef broth and boil for about 10 -12 minutes until reduced to half.
  6. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in heavy cream and simmer until sauce thickens. Season with salt & pepper to taste. (Sauce will not be real thick; however, you may add a small amount of flour to thicken)
  7. Add chicken back to skillet coating both sides with sauce. Add the mushroom mixture and asparagus on top then sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella.
  8. Broil on top rack in the oven just until cheese is melted. Remove from oven, garnish with parsley and serve.

 

Notes:  For a large crowd, simply triple the recipe. This recipe is Gluten-Free & Keto-Friendly as long as you don’t add flour. Chicken Madeira is a delicious meal on its own but if you’re looking to stretch it, serve with pasta or rice to soak up the amazing Madeira sauce.

Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below or Tag @twinsinthekitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #twiinsinthekitchen.

 

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

 

Eggplant Zucchini Lasagna Casserole – Twiins Style 🍆🍆

Published on by Twiins in the KitchenLeave a comment


  • Servings: 4-5
  • Difficulty: Easy

Casseroles are a great way to combine your family's favorite vegetables into a one-dish meal that is sure to please. Our family loves eggplant, zucchini, ricotta cheese & mozzarella (among many other foods) so we combined all those ingredients into a delicious casserole? They loved this dish so much that they requested it 3 nights in a row! You can make this casserole with or without sausage because it's just as hardy without it plus you get the added bonus of it being Gluten-Free and Keto friendly if you follow a keto diet. You and your family will love it! 😋😋

Ingredients

  • 2 medium eggplants, firm to touch
  • 2 medium zucchini or summer squash (or 1 of each,  personal preference )
  • 1 lb bulk Italian Sweet or Hot Sausage, optional (bulk country sausage can be substituted)
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • 8-10 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • enough EVOO to lightly coat all the sliced eggplant & zucchini before roasting, plus extra for lightly coating the baking sheet
  • salt, pepper, and garlic powder to season eggplant & zucchini before roasting
  • 1 cup ricotta (we used whole milk but you can use skim or fat-free if desired)
  • 1/2 beaten egg
  •  2 shakes crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)
  • 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano, grated plus extra for between layers
  • 8 oz. mozzarella, grated & divided in half
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped & divided plus a few whole leaves for garnish

Directions

  1. Cut the end stems from each end of the eggplant, zucchini or summer squash.
  2. Slice into 1/2-inch thick round pieces.
  3. With a small pastry brush, lightly brush EVOO over both sides of the eggplant and zucchini.
  4. Position your oven racks to upper and lower thirds of your oven.
  5. Preheat oven to 500ºF. Once it reaches 500ºF lower to 425ºF.
  6. On a small rimmed baking sheet (no parchment paper) place tomatoes and unpeeled garlic cloves.
  7. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon EVOO over the tomatoes & unpeeled garlic. Toss with your hands to coat, roast on the top oven rack for 15-20 minutes until tomatoes blister & garlic is soft & caramelized. Remove from oven when done and set aside to cool.
  8. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and drizzle a very small amount of EVOO in each pan.
  9. Arrange the eggplant slices in a singer layer in one of the pans then arrange the zucchini in the second pan.
  10. Sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder over the tops of eggplant & zucchini only.
  11. Using a pastry brush, use 2 Tablespoons or more of EVOO to lightly brush over the eggplant and zucchini slices in both pans (both sides).
  12. Place pan with eggplant on top oven rack and zucchini on middle rack and roast at 425ºF for 15-25 minutes until nicely browned but not burnt. Zucchini might brown before the eggplant so check often as individual oven temperatures vary.
  13. Once browned, use a spatula to flip eggplant & zucchini over. Continue roasting the eggplant & zucchini until brown, about 10 minutes, checking often.
  14. Once done, remove from oven & let cool.
  15. In a medium skillet brown the bulk sausage meat until fully cooked. Drain & set aside in a bowl until ready to begin layering process.
  16. In a medium bowl combine 1 cup ricotta, red pepper flakes, 1/2 beaten egg, 2 Tablespoons chopped basil, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and 6 oz mozzarella. Drizzle a tsp of EVOO and mix with a fork to combine. Add salt to taste.
  17. Remove the cooked garlic cloves from the cooled tomato pan & move to a cutting board. Using a fork, press on the skins to remove the soft, caramelized garlic. The skins can be discarded. Mash the cloves into a paste then add to the ricotta mixture and combine well.
  18. In a shallow 2-qt baking dish drizzle some EVOO on the bottom. Arrange 1/3 of the eggplant & zucchini in a single layer. Add 1/3 the blistered tomatoes and scatter them around. Add a dollop of ricotta evenly over each vegetable section (do not spread, leave dollop as is). Add half the drained cooked sausage and sprinkle on top of ricotta dollops. Sprinkle with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
  19. Tear some of the basil leaves and generously scatter around the first layer.
  20. Repeat step 18 & 19 for the second layer.
  21. Add remaining ricotta mixture on top of the second layer, top with remaining slices of eggplant & zucchini then add the remaining tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with grated Pecorino Roman cheese and top with remaining shredded mozzarella.
  22. Bake approximately 20 – 25  minutes at 425 ºF or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbling.
  23. Remove from oven. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve.

Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting & serving
Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting & serving
Slice the eggplant & zucchini into 1/2" thick rounds
Slice the eggplant & zucchini into 1/2″ thick rounds
Place Combination of Eggplant & Zucchini on bottom of 2-qt casserole dish
Place Combination of Eggplant & Zucchini on bottom of 2-qt casserole dish
Add 1/3 of the roasted tomatoes
Add 1/3 of the roasted tomatoes
Add 1/3 ricotta in dollops then sprinkle with chopped basil & top with cooked sausage
Add 1/3 ricotta in dollops then sprinkle with chopped basil & top with cooked sausage
Add the second layer
Add the second layer
top with remaining ricotta mixture & top with Mozzarella
top with remaining ricotta mixture & top with Mozzarella

 

Notes:  2 large and 1 small rimmed baking sheets are needed for this recipe. We used Neese’s Country Sausage (bulk) in this recipe; however,  the meat is optional.  Add some sauteed mushrooms if you’re a mushroom lover like Teresa is. Can be served as a main dish (4-5 servings) or a side dish (6-8 servings).

Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below or Tag @twinsinthekitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #twiinsinthekitchen.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

 

Mediterranean Style Fish Stew

Published on by Twiins in the KitchenLeave a comment

Mediterranean Style Fish Stew

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Very Easy

Yesterday I saw codfish at my local supermarket's fish counter and thought how good that would be with some zucchini & chunks of San Marzano tomatoes that we both already had on hand. It was late Friday afternoon & both Barbara and I wanted to make a really simple & quick meal. This fish stew is naturally gluten-free...(My husband Jack has celiac disease so gluten-free cooking is a way of life for me.) We label it GF as a reminder that eating GF can be delicious and healthy.

Ingredients

  • 1  28-ounce can San Marzano whole tomatoes
  • 3-3½ lbs fresh Cod
  • 1 large sweet onion, halved & thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, peeled & smashed, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt (omit if salt sensitive)
  • 6 Tablespoons EVOO, divided 4 & 2
  • dash of pepper to taste
  • dash of red pepper flakes, optional
  • 12 large Green olives with pimento, cut in half
  • 12 pitted Greek black olives, cut in half (Kalamata olives)
  •  Pecorino Romano, grated for topping ( contrary to the old belief that you shouldn’t use cheese with fish…it’s delicious)
  • Minced fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

    1. Using your hands, crush the San Marzano tomatoes, reserve liquid & set aside.
    2. Pat the fish dry with paper towels then cut into 4-5 inch pieces.
    3. In a large deep skillet heat 2 Tablespoons of EVOO on med-high heat. Add half the codfish and cook 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet & set aside. Repeat with second half of fish then remove & set aside.
    4. In the same skillet, heat the remaining EVOO over med-high heat, add onions, oregano, zucchini, garlic, salt, and pepper until tender.
    5. Add tomatoes and liquid to skillet. Bring to a boil.
    6. Add the cod and bring back to a boil, spooning sauce over top. Reduce heat to simmer, uncovered just until fish begins to flake easily with a fork, about 5-7 minutes, no more.
    7. Sprinkle with parsley and grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

Note:  Serve with crusty bread. This also makes a wonderful meal served over your favorite pasta or rice.

Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below or Tag @twinsinthekitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #twiinsinthekitchen.

     

    Back to top