Parmesan Chicken

Perfect for summer: quick, easy, make-ahead chicken in a light Parmesan crust. Good hot or cold, as is or atop a salad or tucked into a sandwich.

In thousands of hometowns this Independence Day, Americans will place hands over hearts as legions of dignified if aging veterans and their fresh-faced comrades convey our flag along tree-lined main streets.

And as day draws to a close, we’ll gather again on blankets and some times in boats to “oooh” and “aaah” as mid-summer night skies unfold a pageant of artistry and spectacle.

Between the parades and the pyrotechnics will be family reunions, neighborhood potlucks, church picnics, riverside barbecues and community fairs – all laden with summer bounty!

It’s no wonder that food-wise, the Fourth of July is the second-busiest holiday, after Christmas, for supermarkets.

You’ll make CHICKEN PARMESAN often for it’s a perfect make-ahead summer picnic contribution.

It also freezes well and thaws quickly so can make for a quick supper some busy night, perhaps sliced thin and splayed fan-like across a bed of greens and garnished with sliced tomato or zucchini, mango or strawberry.

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food writer Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Share your recipe for cold chicken via e-mail.

PARMESAN CHICKEN

6 servings
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Oven time: 15 – 20 minutes
    DRESSING
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
    COATING
  • 1-1/2 English muffins (about 1-1/4 cups fresh crumbs)
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1-1/2 ounces)
  • 1/4 teaspoon additional pepper
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)

Preheat oven to 450F. Whisk together dressing ingredients in a low, flat dish suitable for dipping chicken breasts. Process the English muffin halves in food processor until finely ground. Add Parmesan, pepper and butter and pulse two or three times until well blended. Transfer coating mixture to a second low-flat dish. Dip each breast in the dressing, then the coating, covering completely with each. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Serving: 300 Cal; 46g Protein; 8g Tot Fat; 4g Sat Fat; 8g Carb; 1g Fiber; 693mg Sodium; 114mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 6 points
Parmesan Chicken is perfect for summer salads, sandwiches and quick snacks.
LATER NOTES
This 2003 column was published online for the first time in 2007.
For smaller servings for children or for potluck contributions where there'll be many food choices, cut the chicken breasts into smaller pieces before coating.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

(hover for a description, click a photo for a recipe)
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Your Comments:

I'm thinking I could use whole wheat panko crumbs to make this and it would be pretty SB friendly. Just the thing for my two nephews who are coming next week to stay (maybe for five days, yikes.) I like the idea of smaller pieces for kids, maybe even cut in strips and call them "chicken fingers."

6/29/2007
Anonymous Kalyn on 7/21/2007
 
Thanks so much, Alanna, for featuring my zucchini post in BlogHer today.You really made my day. And thanks for introducing me to your blog. Now that I'm "older and wiser," I appreciate vegetables much more and am excited to try lots of new recipes.

6/29/2007
Anonymous Susan on 7/21/2007