Garlic Parmesan Chicken

This garlic Parmesan chicken is always a popular choice, and it’s fast and easy enough for a weeknight meal. Garlic and Parmesan cheese team up with breadcrumbs to make a buttery, savory coating for boneless chicken breasts. The chicken breasts are dipped in butter and the coating mixture, and then, depending on the thickness of the pieces, they’re baked for 20 to 25 minutes.

Prepare this chicken for a quick dinner on a busy weeknight and serve it with mashed or roasted potatoes, fries, roasted garlic pasta, or rice. Or freshen it up and make it a little lighter with a salad. Or serve it over spaghetti with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese for a quick chicken Parmigiana.

Recipe Tips

• A serving size of chicken is 4 to 6 ounces, but many chicken breasts are twice that size. If the chicken breasts are very large, consider slicing them in half horizontally to make cutlets. If they are a bit thick, you can pound them to an even 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness between sheets of plastic wrap. Thinner chicken breasts will cook more quickly.
• To avoid dry chicken, try to time them based on their thickness. Large, thick pieces could take as long as 45 minutes, while small, flat pieces may be done in as little as 20 minutes. I recommend testing it with a reliable instant-read thermometer. 165 F is the minimum safe temperature for chicken.

Recipe Variations

• Spicy: Add a dash of cayenne pepper to the coating, or add 1 1/2 teaspoons of Cajun or Creole seasoning and reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon. If the seasoning is salt-free, don’t reduce the salt.
• Smoky: Add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika for color and smoky flavor.
• Herbs: Add 1 teaspoon of dry herb blend, such as herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning. Or add 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped herbs, such as thyme, chives, and sage.

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