Make a special dinner easily with this oven-fried chicken. It's crispy and lighter than fried chicken, and it's stuffed with cheese. Serve it with your favorite sides and perhaps a salad.
Chicken:
4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 thick cut slices provolone cheese
1 c. buttermilk
marinara sauce for dipping, if desired
Dredging:
1 large egg beaten with 3 T. milk
1 c. seasoned all-purpose flour [1/2 t. each salt, paprika and black pepper]
1½ c. panko breadcrumbs
¾ c. grated Parmesan-Romano cheese
1½ t. parsley flakes
1½-2 t. garlic powder
½-1 t. salt
Drizzle:
½ c. melted butter
At least 1 hour before baking, marinate chicken in buttermilk; refrigerate until baking.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.
Cut a slit in each chicken breast to form the pocket for the cheese. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Insert a folded slice of provolone cheese into each pocket.
Dredging:
Mix beaten egg with 3 T. milk; set aside. Season 1 c. flour with salt, paprika and black pepper.
Panko:
Mix together panko, grated cheese, parsley, garlic powder and salt.
Place the dredging ingredients in this order: seasoned flour, egg wash, panko coating; dredge chicken.
After dredging, place chicken breasts onto the baking sheet; secure each with wooden toothpicks. Drizzle each breast with melted butter.
Bake for about 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts. Chicken should bake until the juices run clear. Allow chicken to rest on the pan 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve as is or with a marinara dipping sauce.
4 servings.