Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan with Rutabaga Noodles

Gluten-Free Chicken Parmesan with Rutabaga Noodles

If you’re one of my readers who immediately scrolls to the bottom of the page to...

Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan with Rutabaga Noodles

If you’re one of my readers who immediately scrolls to the bottom of the page to get the day’s recipe and nutritional information, you may be turned off by the calorie count on this recipe.

Don’t fret. Yes, rutabaga or “swede” or “swiss turnip” is a vegetable that is higher in calories and starch than many other vegetables that you typically see on this blog (zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, beet, etc.)

However, remember – we’re eating a vegetable, not processed pasta (which is even higher in calories, carbohydrates and has a higher glycemic index.)

Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan with Rutabaga Noodles

I guess what I’m trying  to say is that, not all meals need to be under a certain caloric amount. Not all calories and carbs are treated equally and hey, sometimes your body just needs a hearty, delicious, healthy meal.

Actually, while it’s true that your body turns the carbohydrates from rutabagas into sugar, those carbs account for just a small fraction of the rutabaga’s total weight – water and dietary fiber combine for over 90% of its weight, and the remainder is rich in nutrients (yay for smart eating!)

Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan with Rutabaga Noodles

Today, if your body’s yearning for something filling and substantial, you’ve come to the right blog.

And, at the end of the day, spiralized vegetables > pasta. Can I get an amen?

Rutabaga is the tastiest of the turnip varieties, I think. It’s a pain-in-the-butt to peel and spiralize, but it’s worth your time. It’s filling, it’s flavorful and, most importantly, it stands up to multiple cooking methods (boiling, sauteeing, baking.)

Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan with Rutabaga Noodles

I like to bake my noodles, because it avoids using extra amounts of oil in the cooking process. Just a little spritz of cooking spray, some seasonings and in 15-20 minutes, you’ve got a healthy bowl of noodles.

Now, this chicken parmesan is my “ultimate parm” recipe. By using almond meal instead of processed breadcrumbs, you get extra nutrients and flavor. Plus, a bag of almond meal lasts much longer than a bag of bread.

Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan with Rutabaga Noodles

If you’re dairy-free, you can add a creamy cashew sauce with nutritional yeast atop the chicken parmesan. If you’re nut-free, you can try using coconut flour instead of almond meal (just use the same seasonings when you prepare the breading mixture in the recipe.)

Who doesn’t love chicken parm? I mean, if you’re vegetarian, you probably don’t – but hey, that’s what eggplant parm is for!

I hope you love this recipe and if you’re trying to keep your daily calorie counts down, substitute in turnip noodles, zucchini noodles or carrot noodles – they all work really well here as well.

See? Fun for everyone!

Have you tried rutabaga noodles yet? What’s your favorite way to enjoy them?

Now you can watch a cooking video of this recipe:

Nutritional Information & Recipes

Inspiralized

Gluten-Free Chicken Parmesan with Rutabaga Noodles

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 3

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg
  • 3 ¼ pound boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 large rutabaga peeled, Blade B, noodles trimmed
  • olive oil cooking spray
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 ¼ ” thick slices of mozzarella cheese
  • For the sauce:
  • ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2/3 cup diced onions
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 basil leaves roughly chopped
  • For the breadcrumbs:
  • 3/4 cup almond meal
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Place all of the ingredients for the breadcrumbs, except for the cheese, into a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine. Pour the breadcrumbs into a shallow baking dish and stir in the parmesan cheese. Set aside.
  • Beat the egg in a medium mixing bowl and set aside next to the breadcrumbs. Dredge the chicken in the beaten egg then dip in the breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture. Dip on both sides and pat breadcrumbs into any crevices on the chicken breast. Place on one of the prepared baking sheets and put into the oven for 15 minutes (if a thick breast, you may have to cook for 15-20 minutes- just slice open to make sure it’s barely pink in the middle, not raw at all.)
  • Lay out the rutabaga noodles in the other baking sheet, coat with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until al dente. Set aside.
  • While the chicken and rutabaga cooks, place a large skillet over medium heat and pour in olive oil. Once oil heats, add in onions, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes or until onions begin to soften. Add in the diced tomatoes, oregano and season with salt and pepper. Crush the tomatoes with the back of a spatula or a potato masher. Lower the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Once done cooking, stir in basil. Set aside half of the sauce and keep the rest in the skillet on the stovetop, but turn off the heat.
  • After the chicken is done, remove from the oven and pour on the reserved tomato basil sauce, top with a mozzarella slice and place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts.
  • Once you place the chicken back into the oven to melt the cheese, turn the heat back up under the skillet with leftover sauce. Once sauce heats up, add in the rutabaga noodles, and toss to combine until sauce coats the noodles. Place the cooked rutabaga noodles on three plates.
  • Top the rutabaga noodles with the baked chicken parmesan and enjoy.
with love, Ali

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Recipe Rating




comments

  • Ali, I am new to your blog, and I wanted to let you know how much I love it! I recently bought a spiralizer, and I've tried several of your recipes - they are all great! This one looks amazing and perfect for a chilly winter night. I agree with you that people shouldn't be put off by the calorie count - our bodies need fuel! 598 seems reasonable! I think my husband will especially appreciate it, as some of the other recipes aren't quite enough for him, this one looks perfect!
    • Thank you so much for the kind words! Sounds like your husband may fall in love with you all over again :)
  • I am a little confused with the cooking times. Is the chicken supposed to be done in 15 minutes? Or... are the rutabaga noodles added to the oven after 15 minutes and then the chicken continues to cook for an additional 15 minutes?
    • The chicken goes in and then the rutabaga noodles! Sorry for any confusion.
  • Looks delicious, do you have the nutrition facts using zucchini noodles?
    • There wouldn't be a big difference except zucchini has lower carbs and a few less calories (like about half) but rutabaga has more fiber so the net carbs are a little higher in the swedes. Potassium is about 50 mg higher in rutabagas, B vitamins a little higher in swedes, Vitamin A much higher in zucchini,almost none in swedes, and the eye vitamins for the macula are significant in zucchini with none in rutabaga. But for one meal, not the end of the world.
  • This looks lovely! I tried doing swede noodles a few weeks ago and thought I was going to break my spiralizer - they're really hard to spiralize. Any tips?
    • I had trouble spiralizing a celeriac root and my husband suggested putting it in the microwave for just a minute or two. I was desperate so I tried his suggestion. It softened the root just enough that I was able to get it to spiralize with no problems!! I won't be afraid of the celeriac again!!!! It is also delicious cooked with a small bit of chicken broth for 8-10 minutes. Has a lovely taste and a soft crunch.
  • Becka, I have same problem and also with butternut squash. I would love any tips, also. I love the spiralizer. It's better than the one I previously purchased, but does bog down with heavier veggies.
    • My first veggie to spiralize was a butternut squash. I couldn't believe how fast and easy it was. Maybe yours was too large.
      • I've not had an issue with squashes. Maybe my swede was too large though? Will try again with a smaller one - small turnips went through without issue, they're not dissimilar in texture. Microwave is a genius idea Robin! I don't have one though :(
  • This recipe looks fantastic. i LOVE chicken parm. Thanks Ali, can't wait to try it!
  • Rutabagas are my "go to" noodle. I have them every week with some crazy sauce I make. I even used them as my noodles for chicken noodle soup last week. I am having them tonight with a bolognese meat sauce. I always bake them at 425 for 15-20 minutes and they are perfect :) Thanks for all the great recipes Ali..
    • Yes these are the most "egg noddle" looking ones ever. We use them just as noodles with a little cheese, butter, S&P.Hubby even likes them which is always a big plus when cooking for 2. He didn't grow up with veggies the way I did but he has a very open mind for healthier things and always tells me the truth about what he likes and doesn't plus suggestions for changes. He's a keeper!
  • Ali This looks beautiful! Is there a poached egg sitting on top of the chicken? Thankyou for your inspiring recipes.
  • Hi Ally, recipe looks delicious as always, but just wanted to let you know that your calorie count is high because of your fat and protein content, not because of the rutabagas. Rutabagas are what account for most of the carbs in the meal, and the grams of carbs are pretty close to your other recipes. However the fat is very high, and the protein is at about twice your usual recipe. So swapping out for zucchini noodles wouldn't do anyone much good if they're trying to cut calories, since it's the other stuff that's upping the heartiness. Just thought I'd point it out before everyone goes out needlessly altering a lovely recipe under the false impression that they would gain more than a 50 calorie benefit out of it.
  • Ali, all of your recipes are SO delicious. I don't think I've ever gone through a food blogger's recipes and didn't have one that was "just okay", except for yours.... ever single one I've made is SO good! I'm up to spiralizing about 4 times a week now for dinner. I think you're a recipe genius =)
  • This was absolutely delicious!!! I am now officially in love with rutabaga noodles. Definitely worth the time to spiralize them :)
  • I love this recipe, Ali (gluten free chicken parm with rutabaga noodles). I spiralized rutabagas for the first time a few months ago, and nearly cut my finger off in the process-- those things are really hard to spiralize!! The second time, however, I put the rutabaga in the microwave for a few minutes to soften it up, and it worked like a charm (although be warned, root vegetables maintain their heat for a long time, so be sure to flush them with cold water before trying to handle). Thanks again for this recipe!
  • Amen! Thank you for this wonderful recipe - it's a life saviour. Starting out the Paleo diet for health reasons and this meal ticks all the boxes in offering alternatives to the no-no's of the paleo diet. It opens back up possibilities for food I thought I'd never be able to eat again. Thank you.
  • THIS.IS.HAPPENING.TONIGHT. that is all.
  • Such a great recipe. I love combining the chicken and swede in a dish, especially in noodles. Can i used homemade diced tomatoes instead of canned diced tomatoes for this dish?