Easy Weeknight Dinner: Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts

January 5, 2015

After a holiday season of indulging it's time to get back on track and eat healthier meals. But healthier dinners doesn't mean skimping on flavor or taking long in the kitchen. Elie Krieger makes getting dinner on the table (in under 30 minutes!) a cinch. In her latest cookbook, Weeknight Wonders: Delicious, Healthy Meals in 30 Minutes or Less, she shares 150 of her favorite drool-worthy dishes from one-pan meals and hearty soups and stews to perfect pizzas and guilt-free desserts. When you're low on energy after a long day at work and need a little culinary inspiration without the fuss, crack open Elie's Weeknight Wonders. Easy, Delicious and Healthy!

We love delicious Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast recipe. It's a meal the whole family will love!

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast
Excerpt from Weeknight Wonders
Makes 4 servings

“This dish is your ticket out of boring chicken town. In less than 15 minutes a few ingredients turn a basic, ho-hum chicken breast into an absolutely luscious main dish. Parmesan cheese is a wondrous coating because it browns and crisps as it cooks, making  for a scrumptious texture. It also adds a huge punch of flavor,without a lot of calories. Unlike other Parm-crusted chicken recipes you may come across, this one uses tangy Dijon mustard as its moist base instead of gobs of mayonnaise. This chicken is so versatile that you can serve it with just about any sides, but some of my favorite pairings are with Pan-Steamed Broccoli with Lemon, Garlic, and Parsley Gremolata and with Cauliflower with Almond-Olive Tapenade. It can also turn a salad into a complete meal—I especially love it with the Nectarine and Fennel Salad with Crispy Prosciutto or the Tuscan Kale Salad.”

2 ounces Parmesan cheese (about 2⁄3 cup grated)
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
Coarsely grate the Parmesan cheese

Put the chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound it out to an even thickness of about 1⁄2 inch. Rub the top side of the chicken pieces with half the mustard, then sprinkle with half the cheese, pressing lightly so it adheres, and season with half the pepper. Flip the chicken pieces over and repeat on the other side. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook, without moving it, until the cheese on the bottom forms a deep brown crust that releases fairly easily from the pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side, cooking until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes more.

 

 

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