Welcome to the second installment of Debbie Chupa's 'Emergency Eats'! This chicken dish combines just 4 ingredients to produce tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken in a flash.
You may have come across a similar recipe in your travels already, but Debbie's version is a little more relaxed. We don't worry about brand names here or coating the chicken perfectly on all sides, and the results are amazing. This is totally kid-approved, too.
Ingredients:
Panko* breadcrumbs
Parmesan cheese (grated)
mayonnaise
boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (not the super thin kind) (one for each person)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 °
2. In a glass, ceramic, or Pyrex baking dish, place the chicken cutlets side by side with some space between each one.
3. Spoon or squeeze a generous amount mayo on top of each chicken cutlet. (Don't be stingy.) You may have to use a butter knife to smooth it out a bit. Perfection is not necessary, but you want to try to cover most of the top of the chicken cutlets with it.
4. Sprinkle a generous amount of Parmesan cheese on the top of each piece of mayo-covered chicken. Again, don't be stingy.
5. Finally, sprinkle some Panko breadcrumbs on top of the chicken cutlets, and you're done!
6. Place the entire baking dish in the oven for about 20 minutes. The amount of cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken cutlets and how many you are making. I say, check after 20 minutes to see how they're doing by gently making an incision in the center of a piece of chicken that's near the middle of your baking dish. If it's white and juicy, it's done. Another indication of doneness is when the breadcrumbs start to get a bit toasty and the mayo and cheese get bubbly.
Special Notes:
*Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese-style breadcrumbs that are unseasoned and lighter in texture than traditional breadcrumbs. They are pretty easy to find in the supermarket. Even my supermarket which does not carry much sells them! :) As long as it says Panko breadcrumbs on the package, the brand does not matter. If you can't find them, the next best substitute would be to make your own fresh breadcrumbs using plain, hard rolls.