Eggplant parm with spicy garlic and basil chicken. This is an 80/20 Paleo recipe with delicious eggplant baked with chicken meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Recipe adopted from theHalf Baked Harvest
Cut the eggplants in half. Rub the cut side with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the cut side down in a large baking tray lined with non-stick parchment paper.
Bake with garlic clove (see below) in 425F for 40-45 mins.
Garlic/Basil paste:
Slice the head/tip of the garlic clove & drizzle with 1 tsp of olive oil and sea salt. Wrap in aluminum foil wrap and bake with eggplants in the oven for 425F for 40-45 mins.
Chicken:
While the eggplants are in the oven: heat a large skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil. Saute garlic and onion until caramelized.
Add ground chicken, bay leaf and dry thyme. Continue to brown the meat until the color changes.
Add tomato and tomato paste. Cover with a lid and let it simmer for 15 mins. Stir occasionally until the sauce is thickened. Set aside to cool.
Final touch:
Squeeze the garlic out of the cloves and mash with a fork. Mix well with chopped basil, red pepper flakes, 2 tsp olive oil, and parmesan cheese.
Rub the eggplants (cut side) with garlic basil paste. Sprinkle with more parmesan cheese if desired. Bake the eggplants for an additional 5 minutes in 425F.
Then add meat sauce (stuff the meat in the middle of the eggplants). Layer on slices of mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 10 -15 minutes in 425F. Serve warm with fresh basil.