How to Make Parmesan Chicken – Fast, Flavorful & Fuss-Free

 

I have had my fill of turkey and ham this week.  With having had a roast ham dinner on Saturday and Turkey on Sunday for Thanksgiving, I have had more than my fair share of leftovers to deal with.  Today I wanted to make something completely different.

I had some boneless skinless chicken breasts to use, and I turned to one of my Taste of Home yearbooks to find something new to do with them. This recipe comes from the 1996 yearbook and is attributed to Schelby Thompson of Delaware.  I used to love buying Taste of Home Magazine back in the day. I never missed an issue and collected many of the recipes.  I have bought it since returning from the U.K and I have to say it is not the same as it used to be and I don't really enjoy it like I used to. 

Having said that, this recipe really appealed to me on several level. Not only did I have everything that I needed to use to make it in the house. (It uses very few ingredients and simple ones at that), but it also looked very quick and easy to make!

 

What you have here are chicken breasts coated in a butter/mustard coating prior to rolling in a mixture of breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.  Simply baked in a moderate oven until done.  Easy peasy. It was suggested in the recipe that you could also cut the chicken breasts into finger making the chicken even quicker to cook.

I left my breasts whole and had a tasty meal on the table in not much more than half an hour.  The chicken came out moist and delicious. I did cut the bake time down by about 10 to 15 minutes.  I felt that was long enough and I was right, the timing was just right.

I served this simple chicken with some onion roasted potatoes which roasted in the oven at the same time as the chicken and a simple salad. (Recipe for the dressing is included below.)

Altogether this was a really delicious, simple and easy to make meal that I really enjoyed. I think you will too!  Quantities are for two, but can easily be doubled to serve more.

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE PARMESAN CHICKEN

Other than the chicken, just a few simple ingredients.

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (mine were each the size of my hand.)
• 1/4 cup (57g) butter, melted (I used salted butter.)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (Use a good quality Dijon for the best flavor.)
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (Good old Lea & Perrins.)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (50g) dry breadcrumbs (I used Panko crumbs.)
• 1/4 cup (23g) coarsely grated Parmesan cheese (If you can, grate your own using the large holes on a box grater.)

 

HOW TO MAKE

PARMESAN CHICKEN

This is really quite simple to make. Quick, easy, delicious. You can't go wrong!

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Line a small baking tray with aluminum foil and spray with a bit of nonstick cooking spray. (This makes for a very easy cleanup)
2. Whisk the melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, salt and Dijon mustard together in a shallow bowl. (Use a bowl large enough to hold the chicken pieces in one layer without folding.)
3. Whisk the breadcrumbs and the grated Parmesan cheese together in another shallow bowl. (Use a bowl large enough to hold the chicken pieces in one layer without folding.)
4. Poke the chicken breasts all over with a fork to tenderize them. Pat them dry with a piece of paper toweling. (Patting dry helps the coating, etc. to stick better.)
5. Working with one at a time, roll them first in the butter mixture and then the crumb mixture, coating them well with each. (Use your hands to pat the crumbs on and then once you get them onto the baking sheet, you can sprinkle any leftovers over top.)
6. Place onto the baking sheet. Drizzle any remaining butter mixture over top. (It will melt into the crumbs.)
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the juices run clear and the chicken is golden brown. The temperature should measure 165*F/74*C on a meat thermometer.
8. Serve immediately with your favorite sides.

  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT CAN I SERVE WITH THIS CHICKEN?

I served mine with a simple Caesar salad and some Crispy Onion Roasted Potatoes.  Delicious! Any starch would work well. Mashed potatoes are very nice.  Rice goes well. Buttered noodles.  I had the salad but any cooked vegetable also works very well on the side of this.

CAN I USE ANY OTHER POULTRY BESIDES CHICKEN BREASTS?

Feel free to use boneless skinless chicken thighs or even turkey breast cutlets.  The timing might vary a bit depending on what you use. Just make sure that juices run clear and the inside temperature is 165*F/74*C when done.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED?

Absolutely!  Simply multiply everything by two. Timings will stay the same.

CAN THIS BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

You can certainly coat the chicken ahead of time.  Place onto the baking sheet, cover lightly with some plastic cling film and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook it. I would not do it more than a few hours ahead. This will ensure a crisp coating when done.

Refrigerate any leftovers, properly covered, promptly and use within 2 to 3 days.

HOW TO MAKE

AN EASY CAESAR SALAD DRESSING

This simple salad dressing whips up very quickly and easily with the use of a stick blender. You can also use a smoothie maker or regular blender if you wish.

Measure 3/4 cup (180ml) of olive or vegetable oil into the cup of your blender. Add 3 TBS of good apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp dry mustard powder and a large clove of garlic, peeled.

Use your stick blender to process this mixture together until smooth.  Serve immediately and store any leftovers, covered in the refrigerator. It will keep for about a week.

To make a simple Caesar salad I tossed some of the dressing together with some chopped romaine lettuce and served it with some grated Parmesan cheese on top, some garlic croutons and a wedge of lemon juice for squeezing.

 

HINTS AND TIPS

FOR CHICKEN BREAST PERFECTION

 If you follow the following hints and tips you are far less likely to have dried out chicken breasts.  These are pretty much fool proof.

1.  If you are cooking your chicken plain, it is always better to cook your chicken breasts with the skin on rather than it off.  The skin helps to protect the meat and keep it from drying out. You can always peel it off and discard after cooking if you don't want the extra calories. 

2. Chicken breasts can be a bit dry. This is because they are much leaner than other parts of the bird. A marinade, brine or rub goes a long way in adding flavor to the meat and keeping it moist. A basic salt and pepper rub is just fine if you want to keep things simple.

3.  Pounding chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat pounder always tenderizes them a bit. Even if you are not going for larger flatter pieces of chicken, a bit of pounding helps to even out the pieces and breaks down the tissues a bit rendering that tiny bit more succulent.

4.  Keeping them all as much the same size as you can. You can do this by pounding, or by slicing them into smaller thinner pieces.  They will also cook faster this way.

5.  Overcooking.  This is the main culprit when it comes to producing chicken breasts which are dry and unpalatable. You need only cook them until the juices run clear. Bear in mind, that they will continue to cook when you remove them from the pan.  Let them rest, lightly covered for a few minutes and you will achieve perfection. 

 

A FEW OTHER

CHICKEN BREAST RECIPES TO ENJOY

No doubt about it, we eat a lot of chicken in my house. It's such an adaptable source of protein and lends itself beautifully to many methods of cooking and flavor additions. Here are a few other favorites! 

HERB & LEMON ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS - Nothing tastes better or is moister than chicken breasts which are roasted on the bone with the skin intact.  This is a delicious marinade that I like to use when I am roasting them on the bone. It's nicely flavored with lemon, garlic and a variety of herbs. This is a fabulous way of preparing chicken breasts which keeps them moist and very flavorful. I like to buy whole chickens and cut them up myself. Plan ahead as the chicken needs to marinate for about an hour before cooking.

CRISPY CHICKEN BREASTS WITH HONEY GARLIC SAUCE - Chicken breasts are pounded and then coated in a flavor-filled crispy crumb prior to frying until they are crisp and golden brown.  A lush restaurant quality honey garlic sauce is created to spoon over top.  A once in a blue moon treat that always goes down very well!  Yes, a tad bit naughty, but, very, very nice!

  

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Yield: 2 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Parmesan Chicken

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min

A deliciously savory coating on tender and juicy chicken. Easy enough to serve on a weeknight, but special enough to serve to company as well. The recipe can easily be doubled.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup (57g) butter, melted
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (50g) dry breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup (23g) coarsely grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Line a small baking tray with aluminum foil and spray with a bit of nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk the melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, salt and Dijon mustard together in a shallow bowl.
3. Whisk the breadcrumbs and the grated Parmesan cheese together in another shallow bowl.
4. Poke the chicken breasts all over with a fork to tenderize them. Pat them dry with a piece of paper toweling.
5. Working with one at a time, roll them first in the butter mixture and then the crumb mixture, coating them well with each.
6. Place onto the baking sheet. Drizzle any remaining butter mixture over top.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the juices run clear and the chicken is golden brown. The temperature should measure 165*F/74*C on a meat thermometer.
8. Serve immediately with your favorite sides.

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