Dijon-Parmesan Chicken Breasts

More About This Recipe

• If you're not as into that “other white meat,” why not stick to chicken? Baked chicken breasts are lean, low in fat and can be made in endless ways.
  
  It's an old joke that any "different" meat tastes like chicken. Why is that? Because it's dry and rather tasteless?
  
  Some of us just don’t know how to cook chicken breasts in the oven that actually taste like chicken when they're done. When chicken breasts are sitting on your cutting board, all bland and blank, they do need some spicing up or you’ll end up with a dry, flavorless piece of poultry that tastes like it was boiled.
  
  It's surprisingly simple and fast to season a chicken breast perfectly and toss it in the oven to bake while you do something else. Nothing could be easier than baking chicken.
  
  Give it Some Pizazz!
  
  Cooking chicken breasts in the oven means two things — spices and sauce if you want juicy and tasty chicken.
  
  Looking at the spice side of things, chicken loves to be touched by almost any spice or flavor, including onions, garlic, dill, tarragon, paprika, cumin, coriander and more.
  
  When it comes to sauces, you can work it in the easy way, such as chicken broth or stock, or throw in homemade white sauce, canned Alfredo or tomato sauce.
  
  Because the finished product can range from sweet to very spicy, a quick look inside your spice cabinet and pantry are really all you need to wow the family at suppertime.
  
  Chicken Recipe Inspirations
  
  Sweet chicken breasts want pineapples, sweet and sour sauce, orange rinds and even lemon. Recipe idea: easy orange-glazed chicken.
  
  Flavorful chicken breasts love dry rubs prepared with a mixture of spices allowed to blend with the breast overnight in the fridge, or even creative breading options. Recipe idea: delicious baked chicken breast with Dijon mustard and Parmesan.
  
  Spicy chicken breasts want red or green chili, jalapenos, marbled cheeses and salsa. Recipe idea: kicky chicken drummies with spicy honey.
  
  Chicken Essentials
  
  Your first step is to take stock of what you have at home. Divide up dry spices, canned offerings (sauces or fruits), and the hot and wild.
  
  What sounds good to you should be your next step. Jalapenos and orange juice might sound great to one person, but garlic and canned diced tomatoes may sound better to another. Because chicken breasts are so easy to cook, allow your taste buds to guide you and you'll have lots of options for many nights of chicken variety!
  
  It’s hard to think of one spice or sauce that doesn’t go well with oven-baked chicken breast. One thing to keep in mind is your goal to turn the bland into the sensational, so check that pantry and spice rack and start your chicken adventure. Want to be more creative? Why not try some stuffed chicken breasts with vitamin-packed spinach?
  
  What Temp and How Long?
  
  Chicken breasts should be cooked in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes to an hour depending upon the size of the breasts. If you're stuffing your breasts, let them cook up to an hour. Use a meat thermometer—they're safe to eat when the internal temperature of the chicken breasts reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
  Spice it up and enjoy!
  
  More Baked Chicken Breast Recipes
  
  Honey-Glazed Chicken Breasts Recipe
  Crunchy Baked Chicken Breasts Recipe
  Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe
  Chicken Breasts with Wild Rice Alfredo Recipe
  Chicken Mozzarella Bake Recipe