What's for Dinner? Perfectly Baked Chicken Breasts

I grew up eating baked chicken breasts on the bone once a week.
My mother never bought dark meat and her baked chicken is legendary.
My siblings and I still talk about it to this day.

Her chicken is the reason ketchup was invented.

I put ketchup on everything as a kid. Eggs, chicken, fish, you name it.
Anything to help get my mom's overcooked food down.

It's ok, my mother will not be insulted when she reads this (which she will never do)....we talk about it openly at the dinner table still, and the platter of her baked chicken sits there, untouched.

2 hours at 375F is just wrong.
The chicken is already dead, no need to kill it any further.

I stayed away from white meat chicken for years after I left my childhood home, happy to find out there was life after dead chicken, only buying thighs and the dark meat.

But I'm back, eating chicken breasts, on the bone, with skin again.

Here is a remedy for those poor dry chicken breasts and a DELICIOUS method in which to cook them.


Perfectly Baked Chicken Breasts on the Bone:

3 chicken breast halves, on the bone, with skin (much more flavor!)
2 cups of Swanson's Natural Goodness Chicken Broth (in a box)
olive oil
paprika
kosher salt & pepper (you can use garlic powder or any other seasonings you like, I like Seasonello flavored salt from Bologna)


Preheat oven to 425F.

Lay the breast halves in a small shallow roasting pan. Pour the chicken stock around the breasts, not over them, you want the skin to crisp up.

Drizzle w/ a little olive oil and season with kosher salt & pepper.

Bake for 45 minutes. The skin will be nice and crispy.

and while you have that hot oven going, roast a pan of yukon gold potatoes, drizzled w/ olive oil and kosher salt (about 30 minutes).
Add them to a big pan of steamed broccolini (baby broccoli), sauteed in garlic. Mix all together to coat with some of the yummy garlic.


When the chicken is ready, place the breasts on top of the pan and serve over the potatoes and vegetables.


SO GOOD and SO EASY!

Comments

Tracy S said…
Beautiful photo! My parents overcook chicken the same way. I went over their house for dinner last week and they kept complaining the chicken was undercooked- my dad goes, "I only cooked it to 190 degrees, I should have gone up to 200." yikes!
Bebe said…
They are oven poached! What a great idea!

Sick as a dog (hives from a med that didn’t like me) I was staring at a bare naked boneless chicken breast last night that had to be eaten. Broke down and made the recipe that is on the side of the Best Foods Real Mayonnaise (Hellman’s where you are) jar, and darned if it wasn’t good and easy. And tender and flavorful. It involves a frosting of mayo and freshly grated Parmesan (I like Pecorino Romano for a bit more flavor) and a sprinkle of herb-seasoned dry breadcrumbs. 20 minutes in the oven. Amazingly delicious.

(Is there anything worse than having to cook when you’re sick?)
Anonymous said…
Poor dry dead chicken breasts on the bone with skin - you're powerfully invoking the queasy vegetarian I am au fond, Ms. Snacks! ps Bebe - cooking when sick is pretty awful, hope you're feeling better.
Marie said…
Great picture. Mouthwatering.
Stacey Snacks said…
Bebe,
Not poached, because the stock is only half way up the chicken....maybe semi poached!

Feel better.
Stacey
bigpilot said…
Thanks Stacey!

Larry M.