Gluten-Free Substitute for Flour and Breadcrumb Coating on Chicken Breasts

[MalibuCA]

I am new to gluten-free cooking, and I really appreciate the help here on Chowhound! I have a dynamite "gluten" recipe for Parmesan Crumbed Chicken, which uses traditional flour and breadcrumbs to coat the chicken breasts after dipping them in an egg mixture. My daughter recently learned that she must eat gluten-free, and I am trying to determine what I can use as a substitute for the flour and the breadcrumbs. The recipe steps are as follows: Spread the chicken with Dijon mustard. Dredge the chicken in flour, dip the chicken in the egg mixture (just egg and water), and then roll the chicken in a mixture made from 1-1/4 c. breadcrumbs and 3/4 c. Parmesan cheese. Please recommend what I might use in place of the flour and the breadcrumbs and specify amounts of the gluten-free products if they differ from the amounts for the flour and breadcrumbs that are called for in the original gluten version of the recipe. I have read postings here about substituting breadcrumbs in meatballs for binding purposes, but I am trying to use the breadcrumbs to form a crispy crust around the chicken, not as a binding agent. Any advice is most appreciated! Thanks!

[chefathome]

Another late entry - you can grind lentils in your spice grinder to use as a coating. Light and crunchy.

[maxie]

A late entry -- but arrowroot powder works well for the flour portion, then almond meal. Don't forget to double check the Dijon -- some is not gluten free. For breading, the quantity called for is already kind of +/-, depending on how big your pieces are and how aggressively you bread.

[goodhealthgourmet]

specify amounts of the gluten-free products if they differ from the amounts for the flour and breadcrumbs that are called for in the original gluten version of the recipe.
~~~~~~~~~~~
unfortunately it will vary depending on the weight/type/density/grind of breadcrumbs you usually use, the replacement you choose, the moisture in the meat, and even the humidity level in the kitchen....so in all honestly it's better to go by feel.

for more discussion & guidance, check out these other threads:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/724802
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/432256
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/688224
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/781481

and for tons of general GF baking/cooking info:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/789811
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/765674
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/579329
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/753975
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/522296
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/432256
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/579877
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/729030

[MalibuCA]

Thanks!

[goodhealthgourmet]

happy to help :) i hope i didn't overwhelm you with all those links, but i wanted to be sure you didn't miss out on the wealth of great info we've compiled during the past few years!

[Val]

oooh, that little GHG ...she is so sweet to everyone! Well done!

[Nanzi]

also crushed pork rinds & rice flour, which I believe is gluten free. or if it isn't gf, use almond flour & pork rinds.

[givemecarbs]

I liked to use rice flour when my friend was trying gluten free. Made for some amazing fried chicken with a very light and tasty coating. I would push the breasts into a plate of freshly grated parm cheese and then force a bit more cheese into the meat after.

[happybaker]

Well, you can use gluten free bread for the crumbs - get the bread at TJ's or whole foods. Or use cornstarch or potato starch for flour - and use crushed cornflakes (or chex cereal) for the breading. One of my friend had to go GF way before all these new products and potato starch and cornflakes made many things possible!

[MalibuCA]

Thank you, Everyone, for all of the great suggestions! Do I use these gluten-free products in the same measurements and quantities that the recipe calls for, or do I use more or less of the G-F flour product and/or breadcrumb product?

[escondido123]

Why not corn starch followed by bread crumbs made from gluten-free bread?

[ElizabethS]

Quinoa is gluten free - I recently used it as a coating for lamb chops - it was very crispy and quite tasty. If you want it finer you could process it in a blender or processor

[mcf]

Quite a few low carb folks use almond flour or meal as a sub for breading or just parmesan cheese or a combination. Other nuts may work, too. You might be able to use coconut or garbanzo flour in place of the flour, too, and make your own crumbs using a gluten free bread from a natural foods store. A lot of low carbers report excellent results using chopped up pork rinds for breading... they're actually mostly protein.

[Val]

Would oats work? Ground up a little of course...I believe you'd have to find gluten-free oats because not all of them are gluten-free, I've heard...I'm asking mcf because this is only what I've heard...

[goodhealthgourmet]

yes, they do need to be certified GF oats, which are actually pretty easy to find these days...and they do make a terrific substitute for breadcrumbs!