PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN

I have pinned and repinned many, many recipes on Pinterest.  Parmesan Crusted Chicken is a recent one.  The description for the pin gave the amounts of yogurt or sour cream to use to cover the chicken, but when I went to the site, there was no mention of either ingredient.  Instead it showed the Hellman's Mayo Recipe.  I don't know who decided to change the main ingredient from mayo to either yogurt or sour cream, but not having any mayo (we are salad dressing folks), I decided to try it using yogurt.

When I looked in my frig looking for the yogurt, I saw an opened container of sour cream that I had used part of in a previous recipe.  Knowing I needed to use it up, I decided to try the recipe as a pinner had suggested and use sour cream instead of the mayo.

I made the recipe using four chicken breast as called for in the recipe, but next time I will cut the ingredients in half and just make it for 2.   That way there won't be any leftovers to try to warm up.  Anyone know a good way to warm up chicken not in a casserole?  

PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN FOR 2

                                        2     boneless, skinless, chicken breast

                                        1/4  cup of sour cream or yogurt

                                        2     tablespoon grated parmesan cheese   

                                        Italian bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line baking dish with parchment paper.( Easy cleanup).  Lay the 2 chicken breast on top of the paper in the dish.  Mix the sour cream or yogurt with the parmesan cheese in a small bowl and then spread it on top of the chicken breast. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top of the cheese mixture covering the chicken completely.

Bake for 40 minutes or til juices run clear.

This was so good and so easy. 

TIP ALERT!

I make my own bread crumbs from the heels left with a loaf of bread.  I break the heel up into pieces and then chop it up in the blender.  Then I store the crumbs in a freezer bag so I can take out how ever much I need, when I need it for a recipe.  I always buy 100% Whole Wheat Bread so my bread crumbs aren't seasoned as much as the Italian ones called for in the recipe.  BUT my husband loved it so I'm not going to go out and buy Italian bread crumbs just for the recipe.  

I am sure the yogurt would give it a sweeter taste than the sour cream.  If you do not like sour cream, try the yogurt or even mayo as the original recipe used.  I used fat free sour cream to reduce fat.

What I really like about this recipe is that it would be so easy to make to serve for a dinner group and simply increase the ingredients.  The ratio for the sour cream and cheese is 2:1 so for 4 chicken breast, use 1/2 cup of sour cream or yogurt and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese.  

I'm sure I will be serving this the next time we have friends over for dinner.