Giada De Laurentiis’ Gluten-Free Chicken Milanese Is a Healthier Twist on a Classic Comfort Dish

Looking for a quick, gluten-free chicken recipe you can turn to again and again? Food Network host Giada De Laurentiis‘ Gluten-Free Chicken Milanese needs just a handful of ingredients, is easy to make, and as the chef says, it’s delicious while taking it easy on your body.

De Laurentiis has had ‘digestive issues’ throughout her life

In her 2021 cookbook, Eat Better, Feel Better, De Laurentiis revealed that she’s had “digestive issues my whole life, even as a child … I was frequently constipated and bloated to the point that my parents were forced to resort to enemas to get things moving again and ease my distress. At that point — I was just a young girl — I wasn’t putting it together enough to realize that what I was eating was having a big effect on how I was feeling.”

As she grew older, the Everyday Italian star admitted, her “gastric woes” only continued: “To the contrary, they became even more disabling when I decided to pursue a career in food.”

De Laurentiis’ book shares the tips she’s picked up over the years that have resulted in her having more energy and just feeling better, including “experimenting with ingredients I haven’t used much before, like alternative flours and sweeteners,” she writes.

The chef’s Gluten-Free Chicken Milanese is a healthier alternative to this popular dish

De Laurentiis’ lightened-up recipe calls for chicken cutlets pounded thin, brown rice flour, large eggs, gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper. You’ll also need lemon wedges for serving.

The culinary personality says in Eat Better, Feel Better of this meal, “Sure, this recipe is a bit of a treat, but rice flour and gluten-free panko make it a little lighter and easier on the tummy. I serve it the way they do in Italy, topped with an arugula salad dressed with lemon and salt, or without the salad and just a squeeze of lemon juice.”

Find the full recipe and reviews on Giada De Laurentiis’ Giadzy food blog.

How to put together De Laurentiis’ quick, gluten-free chicken dish

A dream of a meal for busy weeknights, this dish couldn’t be easier to prepare. Place the rice flour, breadcrumbs, and eggs in separate, shallow bowls. Pound the chicken cutlets thin and dredge each first in the flour, then the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs. De Laurentiis notes that cooks should press “gently to make sure the breadcrumbs are evenly coating the chicken.”

The chicken is placed in a hot oiled pan and cooked until golden brown. Cook each cutlet for about five minutes on the first side and about three on the other. Salt and pepper your chicken after it’s cooked and serve with the lemon wedges. That’s it!

De Laurentiis’ dish is a quick, healthful dinner that’s an absolute winner.