I love chicken. Next to fish, it is probably the meat/protein I choose to eat most of the time. Oddly enough it wasn't something we had very often when I was a child. Maybe once or twice a year my mother would roast a chicken and as a real treat, once in a blue moon she would do her Maryland Fried Chicken, which was chicken breasts rolled in egg and cracker crumbs, and then fried in butter. We loved it!
Of course fried chicken is off the menu for me for the unforseeable future! I shall just have to revel in the memories of it now . . . looking but not touching. Never mind . . . this baked Chicken Dijon is every bit as satisfying!
Okay . . . so maybe it's not quite as satisfying, but it's really very good and a great healthy subtitution for the real thing, and a LOT better for you.
Lean Chicken Breasts are simply rolled in a mix of plain yogurt and Dijon mustard, and then in some tasty whole wheat bread crumbs. I used a malted loaf, so there are also some little bits for extra crunch in the coating.
There is also some thyme in the coating, which adds a layer of herby deliciousness. All told, very, very good! No faffing about. No frying. No fat. You can't beat that.
With some simple new potatoes (browned on one side in a nonstick skillet sprayed with low fat cooking spray) and the vegetables from the other day, it was quite simply part of a healthy plate for dinner! Yum!
*Chicken Dijon*Serves 6Printable Recipe
Moist and delicious. There is lots of flavor here. Adapted from Anne Lindsay Smart Cooking. Calories per serving: 190 with 3.9g of fat (Using skinless chicken) Around 10g carbs per serving.
6 boneless, skinless chicken breastsfine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper50g Dijon mustard (1/4 cup)75g of plain yogurt (1/3 cup)125g of fine fresh wholewheat bread crumbs (1/2 cup)1 tsp dried thyme
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. gas mark 4. Have ready a lightly greased baking sheet.
Put the crumbs onto a flat plate and mix with the thyme. Stir the yogurt and Dijon mustard together in a shallow bowl. Pat the chicken dry with some kitchen paper toweling and then roll it in the mustard mixture. Roll in the bread crumbs and place on the baking tray. Repeat for all the pieces of chicken, placing them in a single layer on the tray.
Bake for 30 to 25 minutes until golden brown and the chicken juices run clear.
Note - You can use bone in chicken breasts, in which case the cook time goes up to 45 to 50 minutes.
