Baked Chicken Breast

All of us non vegetarians who swear by the gustatory pleasures of carnivorous indulgences are extremely indebted to the common domestic poultry fowl from generations! Chicken is something that even the most staunch of vegetarians or the most puritanical vegan cannot dismiss as something unhealthy or nutritionally irrelevant for consumption purposes (and I know how much my vegetarian/vegan brethren hate the domestic fowl for it!!). Chicken recipes are some of those inclusions in a non-vegetarian menu which are likely to do you more good than harm, what with all that fiber rich, lean flesh power packed with beneficial proteins and a number of vitamins and minerals. We've often heard our elders say that beauty lies in simplicity and chicken breast, when baked, sort of holds light to this generic philosophy.

As much as a well made chicken breast indulges the taste buds and satiates the gastronomic senses, it is very easy to prepare and there is much scope for personal innovation. You can play around with a lot of ingredients to dish out a large variety of baked chicken breast recipes that would serve as a temptation to the taste buds and would exhibit your culinary creativity in a most delicious way! Here are a couple of ideas on how to bake chicken and conjure up that perfect chicken breast dish to impress a stern mother-in-law, cheer up an upset friend or sweep your better half off her/his feet!

Baked Chicken Breast Recipes

From the classic oven-baked breast cuts of chicken to an exotic style baked chicken platter, you can be as flexible and innovative as you want by just having an open mind about the ingredients and playing it bold once you've mastered the basics. Trust your creative flair and you'll be surprised by the rewards!

Classic Oven-baked Chicken

Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts - 6-8 (depending upon the company)
• Salt - As per taste
• Pepper - As per taste
• Garlic Powder - 3-4 teaspoonfuls (1 teaspoonful for two chicken breast cuts)
• Olive Oil - Enough to rub over all the chicken breast pieces

Method of Preparation

• Preheat the oven to around 375 °F.
• Wash the chicken breast and pat dry to remove any excess moisture.
• Cover the chicken breast pieces with olive oil by rubbing or brushing it all over them.
• Mix the salt, pepper and garlic powder together and rub all over the olive oil coated chicken breasts.
• Brush some olive oil onto a baking pan and place the chicken breasts inside it. Cover with a baking foil and cook in the oven for about twenty to twenty five minutes (or till the chicken gets tender).
• Once the chicken breasts assume a tender and moist texture, take them out of the oven and garnish them with coriander leaves or celery sticks if you want.

Ahhhh... The inviting, aromatic steam escaping the surface of the freshly baked breast pieces of chicken is motivation enough to throw etiquette out of the window and just dig in!

Crispy Baked Chicken Breast

Ingredients

• Boneless, Skinned Chicken Breast Pieces - 4-6
• Garlic Butter Flavored Crackers - 1 Sleeve (finely crushed)
• Cheddar Cheese - 1-2 cubes (shredded)
• Roasted Garlic Pepper - 1 ½ -2 tablespoon
• Garlic Powder - 1 ½ -2 tablespoon
• Dried Parsley - 1 tablespoon
• Low Fat Butter - 1 stick (melted)

Method of Preparation

• Wash and dry the chicken breasts as directed under the previous recipe.
• Mix the crushed crackers seasonings and cheese together.
• Rub the melted butter all over the chicken breasts and coat them with the cracker-cheese-seasonings mixture.
• Line a baking pan with baking foil, place the dressed chicken breasts in it and bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes on a temperature of 375 °F. Do not preheat oven.
• You can grate some additional cheese on top of the chicken preparation during the last couple of minutes of cooking for a more gourmet look and taste.

While the former classic oven-baked chicken breast recipe gives you tender, succulent chicken breasts to drool over, the latter crispy baked chicken recipe adds some zing to the basic recipe in terms of ingredients, taste and the entire presentation. For those of you who are getting nagging thoughts about the calories, a whole 6 ounces of baked chicken breasts using the generic ingredients and cooking method packs only 330 calories if the skin is intact. However, skinned, the same quantity of baked chicken retains approximately 282 calories. You can control these calories to a large extent by manipulating the ingredients. For instance, using olive oil instead of butter and cutting down on the cheese in favor of citrus marinades will reduce the calorie intake by a significant percentage. So, create your own gustatory masterpiece and surprise the company with your culinary creativity. Trust me, they'll be floored every time!