Parmesan Chicken Breasts

I always have boneless, skinless chicken breasts on hand for quick and easy meals. When they go on sale at the store I buy them and stick them in the freezer and that helps to keep the grocery bill down. They are versatile, quick cooking and have been a life savor for me many times! Normally, I marinate the chicken for a short while, but I didn't this time, and they were still juicy and flavorful! The key to even cooking is to pound the breasts to make them the same thickness. To do this, take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it in your cutting board. Lay 1 breast on it and then cover the chicken with more plastic wrap. Using the blunt end of your meat tenderizer, pound the thickest part of the breast until you get the whole piece about the same thickness. You can also use your rolling pin to do this and it works really well. That's what I used. Repeat with the rest of the chicken. Now you are ready for the coating. This coating is enough for 4 boneless breasts.
PARMESAN CHICKEN BREASTS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup of dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. sea salt (or any salt you want)
3/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbs. melted butter or olive oil (I used butter this time)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a baking sheet.
Mix breading ingredients in a pan or bowl. Melt butter in another bowl. If the chicken breasts are wet, dry them with paper towels, lay them between plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness. Taking 1 chicken breast, dip in melted butter, shaking off excess, and then roll in the breading mixture. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with the rest. I topped each breast with 3 or 4 small shavings of cold butter. Bake at 425 for about 15 min. or until juices run clear. Do not over bake! The chicken pieces I used were somewhat large, but after pounding they were 1/2-3/4 in. thick, so they don't need to bake for along time. Chicken should feel firm when done, and when in doubt, I usually make a small cut in one to see if the juice is pink or clear. I served the Parmesan Chicken Breasts with brown rice and steamed broccoli, but they will go with many side dishes dishes. Enjoy!