Today, Carl got to enjoy that age-old annoyance of jury duty at the Municipal Court. Expecting that he might need a comfort food pick-me-up after the hours hearing people trying to get out of their speeding tickets, I figured I’d make him one of his favorite meals, parmesan chicken and potatoes.
This recipe is incredibly easy to make, and can easily be altered (for example, adding crushed pecans instead of parmesan to the bread crumbs, or using crushed Doritos instead of the bread crumb mixture) to create a number of similar recipes. But for the basics, all you need are a few fridge and pantry staples.
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp mayonnaise (click “Continue Reading” to see more!)
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs (if you only have regular, just sift in a little salt, pepper, and dried parsley)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Pam cooking spray
3-4 red potatoes, cubed
1 tbsp butter
Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Trim any excess fat or tendon off your chicken breasts, then pat dry with a paper towel.
2. On one paper plate (makes for easier cleanup!) spread your 2 tbsp mayonnaise, and on a second paper plate, stir together your bread crumbs, parmesan, and red pepper flakes.
3. Dredge the chicken in the mayonnaise, then in the bread crumb mixture, repeating as necessary until your chicken is completely coated.
4. Place breaded chicken breasts in a baking dish, and spray the tops with a little Pam cooking spray. This will give the bread crumbs that nice golden brown color.
5. Cook the chicken breasts for 40 minutes at 375 degrees (depending on their thickness – mine were about 1.5 inches thick) or until you reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees with a meat thermometer.
6. While your chicken is cooking, cube your potatoes, and then boil them for 8-10 minutes.
7. Once the potatoes are cooked through (meaning they give little resistance to a fork), drain them and place in a large Ziploc bag. Add your butter, finely chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper, then shake until they are well-coated.
8. Place your chicken and potatoes on your serving plates, add a spritz of lemon juice to the chicken if you so desire, and dinner is served.
That’s it! It’s a great fallback for picky eaters, kids, or nights when you just need something simple. Enjoy 🙂
