chicken breast Archives - The Midnight Baker

Buttermilk Chicken Breasts

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 23:00:54 +0000

Whether it’s served on a plate or on a roll, these buttermilk chicken breasts are tender and delicious. Easy too.

Buttermilk Chicken Breasts

Looking for something easy but delicious for dinner–or lunch–that can also be served as a sandwich? Look no further than these scrumptious buttermilk chicken breasts!

Since you pound them down to a uniform thickness of about1/4-inch, they cook very quickly and stay moist and juicy. It’s also amazing how something so simple can be so delicious too. I personally prefer these served on a roll. So you can bypass that fast-food place’s chicken sandwich and make your own. Off the top of my head I’d say that you can serve four people for what you’d pay for two sandwiches in one of those joints. So consider these a budget-friendly option.

Chicken Breast Size

Any time these are on sale at the stores I shop in, the size is, in a word, huge. The only time I’ve seen “normal” sized chicken breast is in the organic variety. So, if that’s your choice you’re set to go with four servings.

However, if the size you buy is the enormous ones, you’ll probably be able to cut them in half after pounding and get double the servings. This is especially true if you’re using them for sandwiches and/or are serving lighter appetites.

Spice It Up

For those that like things a little spicy, you can make.a very simple sauce to drizzle over this chicken.

Just a bit of honey, maybe about 4 tablespoons, and add a couple of drops of your favorite hot sauce. That’s all there is to it!

The Recipe

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Buttermilk Chicken Breasts

Great on a roll too

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Chill Time (optional)1

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: buttermilk batter chicken, chicken cutlet sandwich, copycat fast food chicken sandwiches

Servings: 4

Calories: 945kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 tsp dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbs paprika
1 cup oil - fill a a 10 inch to 12 inch skillet about 1/2 inch deep

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet to about 1/4-inch thickness. If breasts are large then one breast will serve 2 people.
Place flour, cayenne (can be omitted if desired) salt, mustard, garlic powder and paprika in a plastic bag and mix well.
Place the buttermilk in a shallow dish--a pie plate is perfect for this.
Shake chicken in the bag with the flour. Now dip in the buttermilk, letting excess drain. Now place in the bag with the flour to coat again. Shake off any excess flour and place on a plate. Refrigerate the chicken of at least one hour.
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Heat oil to 350F/180C. Fry chicken on both sides about 5 minutes per side. You likely will have to fry in shifts. Drain on a paper towel.

Nutrition

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Lemon Basil Chicken

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 23:00:59 +0000

Try this lemon basil chicken if you want a quick and tasty dinner.

Quick And Easy Lemon Basil Chicken

Looking for a dinner that’s on the table quickly and tastes just great? Then this chicken in a delicious lemon basil cream sauce may be just what you’re looking for.

Chicken breasts are frequently on sale so this dinner is pretty economical. And who doesn’t want to save money these days?

I usually stock up when they’re on sale then vacuum seal chicken breast in portions I use. For me that’s doing singles since I’m a widow with an empty nest.

Have You Tried Lemon Basil?

I never did until I grew it this summer.

Truth is, I’m not that much of a basil fan–at least the most popular variety of the herb. I took a chance and ordered some more unusual seed pods for my hydroponic setup and lemon basil was one of the varieties I chose because I wanted to grow something that was different.

The first time I pruned it and smelled it I was in heaven. I just had to use this herb in something and my first thought was chicken. As lemon flavor is a great companion for chicken, how could I go wrong. It’s delicate flavor complements chicken so well.

I’m not entirely sure if you can find lemon basil in your market, so if you can’t then substitute the same amount of regular basil that’s called for in the recipe but add 1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest. It won’t be the same but very close.

Wine Makes It Mellow

The funny thing is, I rarely drink wine but I love cooking with it.

I’m a big fan of white vermouth for cooking. Maybe just a personal preference but I picked that because I always saw Julia Child use it. White wine works well too. In fact Julia Child often said either vermouth or white wine and who was more of an expert but her?

The Recipe

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Lemon Basil Chicken

Easy and tasty chicken in a lemon basil cream sauce

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy gourmet chicken breast recipes, using lemon basil

Calories: 1271kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp finely minced garlic
1/2 cup rich chicken stock
1/4 cup white wine or vermouth
2 tbs chopped lemon basil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pound chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap with a meat mallet to 1/4-inch/6 mm thickness. Mix salt and pepper and sprinkle over the chicken.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the breasts on both sides. Remove from pan and keep warm.
Deglaze pan with the wine, scraping up all the brown bits. Add the stock, garlic and lemon basil. Let the liquid reduce by about half.
Add the cream and heat through. Add the chicken back to the pan to heat through.

Nutrition

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Paprika Chicken

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 23:00:51 +0000

Loaded with flavor and easy to make. Paprika chicken will be a family favorite.

Paprika Chicken: Simple But Tasty

Here’s another one of those recipes that have great flavor but few ordinary ingredients. I know I’m always saying this but the best tasting dishes seem to be ones that are simple and made with stuff you already have on hand.

Where I’d like to say this paprika chicken is “one-skillet,” if you choose to make this with the mushrooms, it’ll be two skillets–and you’ll see why later in the post. Even so, there’s no big washing up after. That’s something that’s important to me the older I get.

About The Mushrooms

I know a lot of people don’t “do fungus,” as one friend said a while ago. The good thing is if you hate mushrooms, they can be left out entirely. The chicken and sauce itself is awesome without them. But if you’re like me and really like them, you’ll want them in there.

The best variety to use is a brown mushroom–baby bellas and crimini in the USA and chestnut mushrooms in UK. The best way to prepare them for the recipe is to do them in a separate skillet. The reason for that is that they will sear more quickly on their lonesome and won’t pick up the flavors in the pan you did the chicken and onions in. Since mushrooms are pretty porous they pick up flavors of other foods. You want to keep them as pristine as possible.

Also, mushrooms should be satueed in unsalted butter. Salt inhibits the searing and caramelization process. In fact, you should never season the mushrooms before they begin to get brown. All this is done over high heat too. You have to keep an eye on them and stir or toss frequently. They are done when all the water is absorbed and they’re a nice golden brown.

Use Good Paprika

Using a high-quality paprika is important here. The dollar store stuff just won’t do. As it is a major flavor in this, you’ll want the best.

I wouldn’t advise hot or smoked paprika here as it would be way too overpowering. Use the sweet variety. This is the sweet paprika I use because it has excellent flavor.

The Recipe

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Paprika Chicken

Great chicken dinner that's full of flavor

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy chicken breat dinner with simple ingredients, paprika chicken, recipes using paprika

Servings: 4

Calories: 525kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 2.5 lbs/1 kg total
3 tbs unsalted butter divided
1 tbs oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 medium onion roughly chopped
8 oz brown sliced mushrooms baby Bella, crimini or chestnut
2 tbs high-quality paprika
1 tbs light brown sugar
10 oz heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pat chicken breast dry. Mix the salt & pepper then sprinkle over both sides of the chicken.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbs of butter and the oil. Add the chicken breasts and brown well on each side; remove from the pan.
In the same skillet, add the onion and stir to coat with the chicken drippings. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and let the onion cook for about 5 minutes or until they are limp and slightly brown.
Add the paprika and brown sugar. Stir well. Add the cream and stir to blend.
Add the chicken back to the pan. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until chicken tests done (juices are clear or 170F/85C internal temperature.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the mushrooms--heat a large skillet over high heat and add the remaining 2 tbs butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and toss to coat with the butter. Continue cooking mushrooms, stirring or tossing frequently until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms have browned. Set aside.
Remove the lid from the chicken skillet, increase heat to medium and let the juice reduce 50%--about 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms to the chicken.

Nutrition

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Chili Corn Chip Chicken Strips

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 00:00:10 +0000

Finally you get to use those crumbs at the bottom of the bag of corn chips! Chili corn chip chicken strips are addictive.

Skip The Fast Food Joint

When the kiddos (or you) are hankering for some great finger chicken, drive right past that fast-food place and make these chili corn chip chicken strips at home.

First of all, since those fast-food places cost an arm and a leg, you’ll save money. Most of that stuff isn’t worth the money because it’s some pressed-and-formed chicken. When you make them at home, you know exactly what you’re eating and more importantly what your kids are eating.

Save Those Crumbs

If these chili corn chip chicken strips weren’t delicious enough, you get to save even more money. Now you can use the dregs of those bags of corn chips right in this recipe. Got crumbs at the bottom of the bag? That’s perfect for this coating.

While we’re on the subject of corn chips, I used the plain ones. However, if you’re partial to the chili flavored ones, you can eliminate the chili powder in the recipe. When I say corn chips, I mean Fritos or Dipsy Doodles, but you can use tortilla chips as well. They’ll work for this too. And if you’re a lover of nacho cheese and/or cool ranch you can add a different flavor dimension thus adding variety.

Chicken

I used good old boneless skinless breast in this. Since I only buy these when they’re at rock-bottom price and freeze them, I always have them on hand. That’s what I suggest you use if you’re budget conscious (like who isn’t these days???).

But if you have chicken “tenders” in the freezer, they will work perfectly because they’re around the same size you cut the breast into. So if you have them on hand, they’ll save a bit of prep time.

The Recipe

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Chili Corn Chip Chicken Strips

Better than those fast-food chicken nuggets hands down

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Appetizer, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chili chicken strips, corn chip coating for chicken, homemade chicken nugget recipe

Servings: 4

Calories: 486kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

3/4 cup crushed corn chips
2 tbs dry bread crumbs
1 tbs all-purpose flour
1 to 1-1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika I used smoked paprika
1 egg
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2-inch strips
4 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a shallow bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. In another shallow bowl, beat egg. Dip chicken in egg, then roll in corn chip mixture.
Melt 2 tbs butter and 1 tbs oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook half the chicken for 8-10 minutes until the meat is no longer pink or 165F/75C. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Video

Nutrition

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Margharita Chicken

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 00:00:33 +0000

Love cheese? Then you’ll flip over these margharita chicken breasts. Easy to make too!

Margharita Chicken Is The Cheesiest

This will definitely satisfy any cheese lover because there’s gobs of cheese inside and on top to.

The cheese melts all over the place on the pan so make sure you line it with parchment or foil so you don’t miss one drop of the ooey gooey mozzarella!

Fresh Is Best

Where the cheese may be the star of this chicken recipe, it also relies on basil and tomatoes.

Canned tomatoes are definitely out here because you need nice thick slices.

When tomatoes are in season and if you grow your own, those are definitely best. However, it is possible to find great-tasting tomatoes in the supermarket. I find the vine ripened ones to have superb flavor. My supermarket also sells hydroponic beefsteak tomatoes and those also have a great flavor. If you’re willing to spend a bit more, try Kumatoes. They really have a home-grown tomato taste.

When it comes to basil, again use fresh because the taste cannot be beat. Fresh basil is also part of the “look” of this dish too. You can usually find the whole basil plant over by the tomatoes in most produce sections. The benefit with the whole plant is you can re-pot it and it will keep on growing.

Tasty Marinade

The marinade is the secret to this chicken’s gourmet flavor.

It’s a simple herb and garlic mixture in a sherry base. The flavor it imparts takes this chicken to a new level, so don’t skip this step even if you’re tempted.

Cheese Filling

My usual way of handling cheese fillings in chicken is to shred my cheese then mix it with a bit of sour cream or soft cream cheese. I also add a couple of tablespoons of soft breadcrumbs so the filling will stay put inside the pocket.

I’ve done that here, but since the additional cheese melts all over the place, this is a step that can be eliminated and you can substitute my filling mixture with a big thick slice of mozzarella.

The Recipe

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Margharita Chicken

Love cheese? Then you’ll flip over these margharita chicken breasts. Easy to make too!

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Chicken, Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: chicken, margharita chicken

Servings: 4

Calories: 682kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves, butterflied
4-8 thick slices of fresh tomato see NOTES
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Salt & pepper to taste I used about 1/2 tsp of each sprinkled on top of the assembled chicken
1 cup additional shredded mozzarella for topping

MARINADE

1/2 cup dry sherry
3 cloves garlic finely minced
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp olive oil extra-virgin preferred

FILLING

2 cups shredded mozarella cheese see NOTES
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp soft breadcrumbs
2 tbsp Parmesan or Romano cheese optional

Instructions

Mix marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place butterflied chicken breast in a zipper freezer bag and pour marinade over the chicken. Seal bag and turn it a few times to coat the chicken. Let the breasts marinate about 2-3 hours. Then remove from the bag and let the excess marinade run off.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.
Place chicken on the baking sheet.
Place 1 or 2 tomato slices and about 1/4 cup of fresh basil in each chicken "pocket"
Mix all the filling ingredients in a medium bowl and divide into 4 equal portions. Place each portion on top of the tomato/basil.
Bake for 20 minutes. Place additional cheese on top of each chicken breast and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until top cheese is melted and starts to bubble.

Notes

Depending on the size of your tomatoes, you may need 2 slices, but if you use very large tomatoes, you will probably only need one slice.

You can skip the cheese filling recipe and use 1 thick slice of mozzarella for each chicken's filling. If you do, then don't use shredded, buy the block of mozzarella and cut a nice thick slice. You can also eliminate the additional shredded cheese for topping by topping each breast with a thinner slice of mozzarella.

Nutrition

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Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breast with Rosemary Butter

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 00:00:50 +0000

Elegant but easy mushroom stuffed chicken breasts basted with rosemary butter. Nice enough for company, but easy enough for a weeknight meal.

This chicken may look like you fussed, but it’s as easy as 1-2-3!

One of my favorite combinations is chicken and rosemary–but the rosemary has to be a light flavor for me. Too much tastes medicinal–that’s just a personal taste. You can add more or less as you desire.

Even though I used rosemary here, any herb that you like would be nice here. Sage, tarragon or thyme come immediately to mind as they blend well with chicken.

This is probably a good recipe for those on low-carb diets too. While I don’t do “diet” or “nutrition” on my site, to the best of my knowledge on the issue, this should fit into low-carb meal plans.

It’s necessary here to saute the mushrooms because that gives this maximum flavor and it’s worth the effort.

I used split breasts with the bone in and skin on here, but it can be done with boneless skinless, although the taste will suffer since to me the best part is the roasted rosemary-flavored skin. Also, the bones form a natural rack that prop up the chicken so the filling stays in the pocket. If using boneless, then it would require more basting and a shorter cooking time.

This is basted with melted butter. The butter is melted with a pinch of rosemary for a whisper of flavor. If you like more of an herby taste, add more rosemary (or whatever herb you choose) to the butter.

The chicken reheats very well too!

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Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breast with Rosemary Butter

Elegant but easy mushroom stuffed chicken breasts basted with rosemary butter. Nice enough for company, but easy enough for a weeknight meal.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Chicken

Cuisine: American

Keyword: stuffed chicken

Servings: 4

Calories: 441kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 bone-in split chicken breasts
10 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil

ROSEMARY BUTTER

4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 sprig fresh rosemary about 3-inches long or 2 tsp dehydrated rosemary (crushed)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Cut a deep pocket through the thickest part of the breast (see post pics for place to cut)
Heat the 1 tbs butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Saute mushrooms, onion and garlic until mushrooms begin to brown; add the 1 tsp salt. Let the mushroom mixture cool until you can handle it.
Rosemary Butter: melt butter with sprig of rosemary in a small saucepan; set aside.
Stuff pockets in chicken with the mushroom mixture.
Place chicken breasts in a large (13 x 9 should do) baking dish
Baste with half the butter mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes then baste with the remaining rosemary butter.
Bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until chicken tests done (registers 175 degrees on a meat thermometer or juices run clear)

Nutrition

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Shrimp & Bacon Alfredo Stuffed Chicken

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 01 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

These cheesy shrimp and bacon stuffed chicken breasts are a gourmet treat and the secret is–they’re easy to make.

I love chicken–which is evidenced by how many chicken recipes I have on this site!

However, I love tasty and flavorful chicken, and this can be a problem with boneless skinless breasts. You have to do something with it to get it to taste something other than bland, and considering this cut goes on sale quite often, that can be a challenge.

This is another recipe I based off an Olive Garden hack much like my Cheese Stuffed Chicken in White Wine Sauce. I remembered eating chicken there ages ago that was stuffed with cheese and shrimp and I loved it.

Deliciously gourmet without a lot of work

While this is not exactly alfredo, the stuffing’s taste is reminiscent of it. And it can always be served with an alfredo sauce if you think that serving it plain might be too dry. I didn’t find it so, but tastes vary!

The easiest way of stuffing chicken and getting it to cook pretty evenly is to butterfly it. I’ve included a video just in case you don’t know how to do this. It will resemble a butterfly’s wings when it’s done. You place the stuffing on one wing, and fold the other one over it. That’s about as easy as it gets!

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Shrimp & Bacon Alfredo Stuffed Chicken

These cheesy shrimp and bacon stuffed chicken breasts are a gourmet treat and the secret is–they’re easy to make.

Prep Time30

Cook Time35

Total Time1 5

Course: Chicken

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Alfredo sauce, bacon, shrimp, stuffed chicken

Servings: 4

Calories: 715kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup cream

STUFFING

2 slices white bread cut in tiny cubes
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp fresh parsley minced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese
2 tbsp grated Parmesan -OR- Romano cheese
2 strips crisp-cooked bacon finely diced
1/2 cup tiny cooked shrimp chopped
1/4 cup approximate heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

SEASONED BREAD CRUMBS

1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray an oblong baking dish -OR- you can use a totally oven-safe skillet (in which the dish may be entirely cooked)
Butterfly the chicken breasts. Here's a video to show you how:
Mix the seasoned breadcrumb ingredients and place them on a plate; set aside.
Mix the stuffing ingredients, using only enough heavy cream to hold them together--they should not be wet.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil.
Place the 1/2 cup of cream on a plate. Coat the outer side only of the butterflied chicken breast with the cream, now dredge this coated side in the prepared crumbs. Place 1/4 of the filling on half of the uncoated side of the chicken. Fold the other half over the stuffing. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Brown chicken in oil in the hot skillet. If you are using an oven-safe skillet, you can pop this in the oven. If using the oblong baking dish, transfer browned chicken to the dish and place in the oven.
Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until chicken tests done by either an insta-read thermometer or juices run clear.

Nutrition

Shrimp & Bacon Alfredo Stuffed Chicken

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Broccoli Cheese Chicken Rollups

Judith Hannemann — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 23:00:00 +0000

Broccoli Cheese Chicken Rollups

These cheesy chicken rolls make a family meal fancy. Simple to make and three cheeses make them oh-so tasty!

This is a complete meal in a roll! Chicken, veggies and cheese. And with three cheeses, these are pure heaven.

I mixed up great cheeses in this. You have asiago for a nice sharp and defined flavor, mozzarella that melts so well and last but not least, fontina, which melts just as nicely as mozzarella, but pulls it all together with it’s creamy and slightly nutty flavor.

Easy to prepare!

The cheeses blend well with broccoli too. When you think veggies with cheese, the first thing that comes to mind is broccoli and cheese sauce!

I used chopped broccoli here so there’d be no big hunks to deal with. If you buy it specially for this recipe, make sure you get chopped and not broccoli “cuts” because the cuts are the hunks. If you have cuts or florets on hand already, just pulse a few times in a food processor to get the fine chop. Fresh is also good here…just use your food processor to chop.

Filled with 3 cheeses and broccoli

That gorgeous side dish you see in the photo is my Three Cheese Orzo with Broccoli, which compliments this meal so well. If I have any filling from the chicken left over, I merely add it as an additional “bonus” to the orzo.

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Broccoli Cheese Chicken Rollups

These cheesy chicken rolls make a family meal fancy. Simple to make and three cheeses make them oh-so tasty!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Chicken, Everyday Meals

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken, chicken rollups

Servings: 6

Calories: 246kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

6 small/medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup frozen chopped broccoli thawed
1/4 cup shredded asiago
1/4 cup shredded fontina
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
3 tbsp butter melted
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt butter and place 2 tbs in the bottom of a 9x9-inch baking pan. Mix panko crumbs with the remainder of the melted butter and set buttered crumbs aside.
Mix thawed broccoli and cheeses together in a small bowl.
Pound chicken breasts between plastic wrap or waxed paper until 1/4-inch thick.
Place about 2-3 tbs of the broccoli filling in the center of each chicken breast. Divide the filling equally between each breast.
Roll up chicken jelly roll style and secure seam with a toothpick if desired.
Place the chicken in the prepared pan, rolling the chicken to coat with the melted butter. Make sure seam side is down in the pan. Top with buttered panko crumbs.
Bake for 45-60 minutes (this depends on the size of the chicken breasts) or until juices run clear and internal temperature is 185 degrees F.

Nutrition

Broccoli Cheese Chicken Rollups

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Chicken Parmesan

Judith Hannemann — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 23:00:00 +0000

Chicken Parmesan

When you’re looking for a quick dinner that contains nothing highly processed, look no further than that classic Italian fast food, chicken parmesan.

This has got to be my go-to meal for when I’m in a bind for what to make for dinner. It’s easy, quick and very tasty. Whats more, it’s real food…nothing fake or fast-foodie about it.

If I have the larger cans of tomato sauce on hand, I’ll make my own quickie sauce, if time permits. If not, I use a jar of ready-prepared pasta sauce, since I always have one of those in the pantry. I tend to use plain, marinara, or mushroom here, but use whatever you have or strikes your fancy.

Quick, easy and REAL

I also prefer to use slices of mozzarella cut from the solid lump you find in the dairy case. Somehow on this, the bagged and shredded variety doesn’t cut it. That’s just a personal preference, so if you have shredded on hand–by all means! Just don’t skimp on whatever you use. The biggest pleasure in this is a thick, creamy and delightfully stringy mound of melted mozzarella on top!

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Chicken Parmesan

When you’re looking for a quick dinner that contains nothing highly processed, look no further than that classic Italian fast food, chicken parmesan.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Chicken, Dinner, Everyday Meals, skillet dinners

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: chicken, chicken parmesan, parmesan

Servings: 4

Calories: 619kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 skinless chicken breasts medium boneless
1/4 cup cream or half-and-half
3 tbsp olive oil
8 oz mozzarella cheese

SEASONED BREAD CRUMBS

1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 tbsp parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

SAUCE

2 15 oz tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
2 large cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp onion minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp pesto
1 tsp sugar optional

Instructions

*Italian-flavor bread crumbs (with cheese) may be substituted
**1 jar (26 oz) of your favorite pasta sauce may be substituted for the sauce recipe (I often substitute it for speed sake, but will add pesto)
Pound each chicken breast between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap with a mallet until breast is about 1/4-inch thick. I never skip this step–because the chicken will cook evenly and not be underdone on the thick end nor overcooked at the thin end. It also tenderizes the chicken.
Pour cream in a shallow bowl. Mix breadcrumb ingredients and place on a large plate.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 tbs of the olive oil. Dip chicken in cream, making sure it’s well coated then dredge in the breadcrumbs. Repeat for remaining chicken breasts.
Brown chicken breasts, 2 at a time, in the heated skillet. Remove to a plate. Meanwhile, add the remaining 1 1/2 tbs of olive oil and repeat browning on remaining chicken breasts. Set aside.
Wipe out the skillet to remove any burnt-on breadcrumbs. Return pan to a medium heat. Add the 1 tbs of olive oil (in the sauce recipe) and saute the onion and garlic until tender.
Add the tomato sauce and the remaining sauce ingredients and heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low, add the chicken breasts, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat broiler to high. Slice block of mozzarella into 8 slices. Place 2 slices of cheese on each chicken breast. Broil for approximately 5 minutes (about 6-inches from flame or heat element), or until cheese is melted, bubbly and begins to brown.
Serve with any kind of pasta. Serves 4

Nutrition

Classic Chicken Parmesan

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Potato Cheese Crusted Chicken

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 23:00:00 +0000

Potato Cheese Crusted Chicken

Some instant mashed potato flakes and cheese make this one of the tastiest ways to make chicken breast. Quick and easy too.

Recently, I had some oral surgery done and had to eat soft and easy for a few days.

I love mashed potatoes and usually make my own from scratch. I figured a few meals of mashed potatoes would go over well but with pampering my mouth and the associated discomfort of the surgery, I didn’t want to be bothered making them from scratch and I generally don’t care for the instant variety.

Easy and tasty

After I came out of the dentist, I did a bit of shopping for good easy-to-swallow foods to tide me over for a few days and on impulse, bought a box of instant mashed potatoes too.

About a week later, while waiting for the oven to preheat, I was bored, the box of potatoes was still on my kitchen cart and I found myself reading the thing. There was a recipe on back for chicken that used the potatoes as a coating. I’d heard of this years ago, but not with chicken; with fish. All it was was coating the chicken with the plain potato flakes.

I remember my mother doing this with fish and she seasoned the potatoes. Long time has passed and I couldn’t remember exactly what she did, so I used some cheese because that improves the flavor of anything and some garlic, which improves the flavor more, so I tried it.

This turned out to be very good. I made strips, but you don’t have to–just coating the whole breast will do. They were even good cold and I used tartar sauce to dip the cold ones in. Delicious!

ETA–I tried this on bone-in skin-on chicken parts the other night. I think it came out BETTER than the boneless skinless breasts. Didn’t use butter to coat, just rinsed the chicken, shook off excess water, coated & baked. Excellent.

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Potato Cheese Crusted Chicken

Some instant mashed potato flakes and cheese make this one of the tastiest ways to make chicken breast. Quick and easy too.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Chicken, Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheese, chicken, mashed potatoes

Servings: 4

Calories: 416kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 skinless chicken breasts medium boneless
1/2 cup melted butter

COATING

1 cup instant mashed potato flakes
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp parsley flakes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, if desired (I do this for easy clean up)
Mix coating ingredients and place in a plastic bag -OR- spread them out on a plate.
I pound down my chicken breasts to a uniform thickness. This is not necessary but it does help the chicken to cook evenly and avoid over-cooked and/or dry portions. I cut my chicken breasts (after pounding) into 2-inch strips, but you can leave the chicken breasts whole if you want to do so.
Coat the chicken with the melted butter then either dredge them in the coating on the plate or shake them in the bag filled with the coating.
Place on baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. I popped mine under the broiler so they'd brown and crisp up a bit more. Again, not a necessary step, but I found it improved the taste and crunch a bit more.
Serves 4

Nutrition

Potato Cheese Crusted Chicken

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