Recipe Box: Baked Breaded Chicken

When I get home at the end of the day I want something filling, but not too heavy. Healthy, but indulgent. I want to be the reason the hallway in my building smells so great. When people ask whose oven that aroma is coming from, I want to proudly say, "Mine!"

This easy recipe, paired with a Zucchini Souffle side dish, saved my reputation in the kitchen. [My first cooking experience to follow the recipe...] It's not the most exact in measurements, but that's what makes it your own. The Zucchini Souffle balances the chicken well and adds 2 full servings of vegetables on the side. Much better than mashed potatoes!

Baked Breaded Chicken

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Egg white
Milk
Bisquick
Italian flavored bread crumbs
NutraSalt Italian flavored Sea Salt (Low Sodium!)
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder

Preheat oven to 375.

Cut chicken into smaller pieces. In a bowl, combine 1 egg white with a splash of milk. Whisk with a fork until mixed.

In another bowl, combine equal parts Bisquick and bread crumbs. Add a dash of each remaining seasoning. Mix.

Dredge the chicken pieces in the wet mixture, then in the dry ingredients.

Place breaded pieces onto a greased baking sheet.

Cook for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. (I always use a meat thermometer to ensure safety)

What you get is nice juicy pieces of golden breaded chicken. The aroma will fill your kitchen and delight those you are cooking for. Because the chicken has been chunked into smaller pieces, it also helps to control portion size. Bon Appetite!


And now, a story...

My first time cooking:

The first time I cooked for my boyfriend I got the idea that he liked quiche. I researched recipes, did all my shopping and spent the good part of an afternoon assembling and baking this homemade quiche. When my boyfriend came over he appreciated my efforts. Even though he really wasn't a fan of quiche, he took a big serving of my culinary masterpiece. Of course this was after we sat around for hours beyond the recipe called for - waiting for the eggs to fully cook. It was 10p.m. by the time we deemed it safe to eat and he took a big first bite.

Boy was he surprised! He did his best to grin and then gulp down his bite. I think his future flashed before his eyes. The horrible meals to come, the nights having to pretend to eat, the acceptance that I could not cook like his mom, let alone cook at all. I didn't get what the big deal was until I took a bite. Oh my goodness. It was the nastiest thing I had ever eaten. I quickly looked at everything I had put into this bomb of a meal. Eggs..check. Cheese..check. Crust...oh. I didn't think of it at the time, but at the store I bought a pre-made crust for my quiche. Thinking all crusts were the same, I bought the one that resembled the picture on my recipe. Big mistake. I had made my quiche with a sweet shortbread crust. Needless to say, we ordered out that night.

Since that stomachache of a night, I have been working towards improving my reputation. After making my chicken recipe the other night, my boyfriend declared to me, "Wow! You are a really great cook." It took several years, but I have wiped away that memory of the quiche and am on the road to future culinary success. Thanks, Baked Breaded Chicken and Zucchini Souffle!