Chicken with Dijon-Sage Crumbs
This recipe was adapted from an old clipping for pork chops from Gourmet magazine (RIP). Recipe tester Gina Jermakowicz said, “This recipe is a keeper. The crunchy topping turned out great! My 11-year-old loved it.”
Ingredients
- 3 slices wheat or rye bread (use wheat/gluten-free, if needed) , stale or toasted
- 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced, about 1 tsp.
- 1 Tbsp. fresh sage leaves minced, or 1 tsp. dried
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 tsp. Dijon mustard (use wheat/gluten-free if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the bread in a food processor or blender to make coarse bread crumbs.
- Heat a large oven-safe heavy skillet, such as a cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. oil, and when it is hot, add the bread crumbs, garlic, sage, salt, and pepper. Stir frequently until the crumbs are golden brown, 3 – 4 minutes. Remove them from the skillet and wipe the skillet clean.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Heat the remaining oil and brown the chicken, without moving it, for about 5 minutes per side or until it is golden brown on each side.
- Spread about 1 tsp. of mustard on top of each breast (you may want to leave one plain for picky eaters), then spoon 1/4 of the crumbs over each. Transfer to the oven and cook for about 5 - 10 more minutes or until the thickest breast is just cooked through. Serve it immediately.
Slow Cooker Directions:
- NOTE: This won’t result in chicken with a crispy topping but is still delicious.) On a plate or other flat surface, mix together the bread crumbs, garlic, sage, salt, and pepper. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil (you will only need about 1 Tbsp.) and mustard, then coat with the bread crumb mixture. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 - 10 hours or on high for 4 - 6 hours. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Make the bread crumbs, peel the garlic, mince the sage if using fresh, prepare and refrigerate the bread crumb mixture.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Use more Dijon mustard on the chicken.
Tip: I recommend using a cast iron skillet for browning meat. It can be purchased for about $25 and, by following the directions for its care, will last forever. The only drawback is that it is heavy so can be hard to lift and tilt when you want to pour or scrape ingredients from it.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values): Calories 300, Total Fat: 15g, 22%; Saturated Fat: 3g, 12.5%; Cholesterol: 73mg, 24.5%; Sodium: 488mg, 20.5%; Total Carbohydrate: 12g, 4%; Dietary Fiber: 2g, 5.5%; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 29g
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