Dijon Chicken Breasts

[snowangel]

Dijon Chicken Breasts

These can be handy to have around since you can prep the breasts and freeze them. Freeze on a cookie sheet and then layer in a tupperware with parchment between layers.

A couple of notes:

1. I prefer thinner chicken breasts. I always bone my own, and save that tenderloin part for stir fries. And the bones go into my bag of bones in the freezer for the stock pot!

2. Breading. More is better. Breading has a tendence to get "glumpy," so while this seems like a lot, it eases the process. And, I've noticed that if you increase the recipe to, let's say, 8 breasts, you do need double the butter mixture, but you don't need to double the panko mixture. Just increase it by 25-30% or so. I think this has been discussed on an EG thread.

• 1/2 c butter
  
• 3 T dijon mustard
  
• 1 T pressed or very finely minced garlic
  
• 4 chicken breasts*
  
• 2 c panko
  
• 1/3 c grated parmesean
  
• 2 T finely minced parsley
  

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Combine garlic and mustard. Whisk in melted butter. Let cool until slightly thickened.

Combine panko, parmesean and parsley. I find it better, for this recipe to finely grate the parmesean on the old fine grater from my grandmother than on the microplane. You don't want the parm. to be cloud-like.

Dip breasts in butter mixture then coat with panko mixture. Place on lightly oiled or butter baking pan (if baking immediately) or on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (if freezing).

Bake for about 15 minutes. If at 10 minutes, they don't look like they are getting "golden" enough, turn broiler to low.

If you've prepped ahead of time, I don't let them totally thaw before baking, but just add about 4 minutes to the cooking time.

Keywords: Main Dish, Easy, Chicken

( RG1217 )