Week 2: Crispy Cheddar Chicken

After I completed my first blog, I immediately began looking at new recipes to try. This blogging thing is kinda fun :) Plus, its a good way to help me stick to my new year goal of cooking more and eating less. As I was going through the different pins in the food and drink section, I noticed...there are SOOOOOO many food blogs. I mean, how do you all keep up with those websites?? Anywho, I was going through the food and drink section trying to find something that looked appetizing. I came across several pasta recipes, but I didn't want to make another pasta. Well...not yet. (If you know me, you know I looove pasta). After about 3 days (and yes, I do mean days) of pinning recipes, I didn't come across anything that I felt was remotely interesting enough to make for my pinterest project. So I took a different direction. I decided to start with picking my meat for the week, which is limiting because I don't eat beef or pork (no steak or pork chops here). Chicken it is!! After searching chicken recipes I came across a recipe for Crispy Cheddar Chicken. 

Mmmm...that looks soooo good! When I clicked the pin, it took me to this website http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/chicken/crispy-cheddar-chicken-4.html I didn't really explore the website this time, so I can't say I know much about this website. I must say though, this recipe was awesome! I made a few minor changes because of personal preference, but all in all, I think it tasted really good. These ingredients were a little more expensive. I opted for name brand cheese and crackers which cost a tad bit more. All in all I spent about $30 in Kroger. My ingredients and directions are below. 

Ingredients:

Townhouse crackers (the recipe on the website calls for ritz, I would try ritz if you want it really crunchy. Townhouse was what I had laying around the house)

Milk

Butter

Mozzarella Cheese (the recipe on the website calls for cheddar, I personally like Mozzarella)

Seasoned salt

Lemon pepper (the recipe on the website calls for regular salt and pepper, I hardly ever season with plain salt and pepper) 

Spray oil

dried parsley

4 chicken breasts (I use simple truth chicken breasts from Kroger. I'm kinda weary about using anything that doesn't say "hormone free" or "natural")

Sauce

1 can of cream of chicken

2 tbsp of sour cream

2 tbsp of butter

Instructions.

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Crunch up crackers. Add in seasonings to the crunchy cracker mix

3. In a separate bowl, pour milk. 

4. Spray the pan with the spray oil. 

5. Dip the chicken in the milk then place them in the pan. Sprinkle the cheese over the chicken. Once all of the chicken is placed in the pan, cover the chicken in the cracker mix. Add a little dried parsley. 

**The recipe calls for you to dip the chicken in the cheese....It didn't work for me so I sprinkled it.**

6. Put foil over the chicken and bake it for 30-35 mins. Remove the foil, then bake for an extra 10-15 mins. 

**I could NOT find the foil in my house! I searched all of the cabinets and nothing. Finally, after 10 minutes of baking, I found my foil. so I actually did this step backwards. Baked for 10 mins without foil, then 30 mins with foil. I think it still turned out fine.**

7. Take it out and BOOM crispy cheddar mozzarella chicken 

Sauce:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and butter. Whisk Stir until it becomes creamy. Pour over chicken if you need want it. 

Here's what mine looked like: 

I paired it with some mac and cheese and steamed broccoli to make a meal. My sauce was still brewing when I took this pic :).