Description
Crispy cheddar chicken delivers a golden, cheesy crunch that’ll make dinner feel like a special treat. Coating tender chicken breasts with sharp cheddar and crisp breadcrumbs creates a simple, satisfying meal your family will devour.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 4 chicken breasts
Cheese and Coating:
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
Seasoning and Liquid:
- ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoons black pepper
- ½ teaspoons dried parsley
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Crush 1 cup of Ritz crackers into fine crumbs in a shallow dish.
- Blend 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, and ½ tsp dried parsley with the cracker crumbs.
- Thoroughly pat 4 chicken breasts dry with clean paper towels.
- Whisk 2 eggs and ¼ cup milk in a separate shallow bowl until fully combined.
- Submerge each chicken breast completely in the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off.
- Roll the egg-soaked chicken into the cracker-cheese mixture, pressing gently to ensure an even, thick coating.
- Arrange the breaded chicken pieces in the prepared baking dish without overcrowding.
- Drizzle ½ cup melted butter evenly across the top of the chicken breasts.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes until the exterior turns golden brown and crisp.
- Verify the internal chicken temperature reaches 165°F using a meat thermometer.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving to help retain moisture.
Notes
- Ensure your chicken breasts are evenly sized for consistent cooking and crispy texture throughout.
- Crushing Ritz crackers finely helps create a more uniform and crisp coating that adheres well to the chicken.
- Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature, as overcooking can make chicken dry and tough.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute crushed gluten-free crackers or breadcrumbs in the coating mixture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22-25 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 592 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 677 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 48 g
- Cholesterol: 211 mg