Of course there is the standard, go-to meal of baked chicken breasts, green beans, and rice. But what's the fun in that?! And then there's a meal that's more to my liking... Chicken for the cheese-loving bunch (ahem, you know who you are), buttered to perfection and served with Roasted Green Beans with Garlic (see below) and coucous, all kicked up a few notches (K&A style)!
If you don't like cheese, STOP RIGHT HERE; I’m not sure you should continue reading this. It’s safe to say that A and I are practically addicted to cheese. There were a few weeks early this spring where we consumed enormous amounts of cheese: brie, New York sharp cheddar, blue cheese, feta, Gorgonzola, sheep milk cheese with peppercorn, Parmesan, and goat cheese(just to name a few)!
If you don't like cheese, STOP RIGHT HERE; I’m not sure you should continue reading this. It’s safe to say that A and I are practically addicted to cheese. There were a few weeks early this spring where we consumed enormous amounts of cheese: brie, New York sharp cheddar, blue cheese, feta, Gorgonzola, sheep milk cheese with peppercorn, Parmesan, and goat cheese(just to name a few)!
This melt-in-your-mouth chicken recipe was one of the succulent selections of those few weeks. The recipe calls for Ritz crackers, the buttery cracker wrapped into a tall stack and in the big red box, bringing me right back to all the wonders of childhood. It combines the buttery, salty flavor of the Ritz with the bite of sharp cheddar cheese. It all melts together when baked for a chicken parm effect, but better! The crust keeps the chicken from drying out and gives your typical chicken breasts a much-needed kick in the butt.
I promise the cracker-cheddar crust mixture on the chicken will be so delicious, that you’ll be dabbing every bite of chicken in any crumbs that have fallen on your plate, and you might even use your finger to clean the rest of the crumbs up. I hereby give you permission (just this once) to lick your fingers at the dinner table; I promise it’s worth it.
Check out Green Beans 101 for the basics on green beans and serve them on the side any way you like (I prefer to roast them with garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil myself).
Get some quick-cooking couscous. I recommend Near East's original or roasted garlic with olive oil. They're both delicious, go with just about anything, and they cook in 5 minutes after the water boils. Pretty hard to mess that up with an included seasoning packet! Quick, easy, and great with the chicken and beans!
CHEDDAR CHICKEN WITH RITZ CRACKER CRUMBLES
Ingredients:
- 16 buttery crackers* (best with Ritz), crushed (approximately 3/4 cup)
- 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese,* grated
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped (I added 1 extra clove when I made it... my dad always says, "There's no such thing as too much garlic!")
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 4 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (chicken cutlets will work too, but not stay as juicy).
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
*We like to go BIG on the cheese and crackers (we use extra)... the more the merrier, right?
Cooking Directions:
- Heat oven to 350 deg.
- In a medium bowl, combine the crackers, cheese, garlic, and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Melt the butter separately.
- Dip the cleaned chicken in the butter, then in the cracker mixture (make sure to press gently, but firmly to help it adhere) and place on a backing sheet lined with foil.
- Sprinkle any remaining cracker mixture on the chicken and drizzle with any remaining butter.
- Bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 25-30 minutes
serves: 4
hands-on time: 15 minutes
total time: less than 45 minutes
ROASTED GREEN BEANS WITH GARLIC AND OIL
This is one of my favorite recipes my mom has taught me. It super easy and incredibly delicious. Be generous with the garlic!
Cook the green beans and the couscous while the chicken is baking and you'll be finished when the chicken is ready! And remember, for all of my shared recipes, "There's no such thing as too much garlic." (At least in my family.)
Green Bean Ingredients:
- 5 generous handfuls of fresh raw green beans (I do a 1 handful/person and 1 extra handful for the hungry ones).
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, sliced thinly (and there's always room for more).
- Olive oil (get a good Italian olive oil if possible - it does make a difference).
- Salt and pepper
Cooking Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Cover a cookie sheet or baking sheet (one with edges) with tinfoil
- Clean and prep* (if desired) green beans ahead of time
- *I like to leave the ends on when I roast green beans and I recommend that you do so with this recipe. The following two options are better, in my opinion, for sautéing and such.*
- *If you want to clean and prep the green beans by hand, that's usually best. Wash then snap both ends off of each green bean (where it snaps leaves the ripe bean and discards the ends).*
- *You can shave some time-consuming snapping by using a sharp knife to cut the ends of the green beans off.*
- Place green beans on the baking sheet; spread them out and don't overcrowd them (you want 1 layer of green beans with just a little extra here and there).
- Sprinkle sliced garlic on top of and around the green beans.
- Drizzle with olive oil (don't be afraid to be generous - just don't drown them! Green beans can't swim!); salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook beans in oven for 10-12 minutes: you want them to start getting a little wrinkly and be a rich green color.
- While the green beans are cooking, cook the couscous, following the instructions on the box. Again - go for the Near East brand; they're often on sale in multiples too.
Keep cooking up a storm, make a mess, and enjoy your accomplishment. Just make sure you get to the dishes after dinner; no one ever likes waking up to a dirty kitchen full of last nights left-overs and dishes.
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