I’m the kind of person that LOVES salads. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I love to put everything BUT the kitchen sink into a bowl and devour it, eating a rainbow of veggies and protein. Occasionally, I even like to add a little bit of chicken to my salad. (Like my Chicken, Spinach and Tortellini Salad) . Chicken is an amazing lean protein, providing up to %67 of your daily requirement in ONE 4oz serving. It’s also chock full of nutrients and oh SO tasty.
When I’m craving chicken to have sliced up in my salad I want a juicy, seasoned chicken breast… what I’m not craving is that pre-sliced, processed, nasty stuff that you can buy in the grocery store. (I’m also not craving the non-free range, non-organic, non-humanely raised chickens, but that’s another story.) Why eat something that was pre-sliced and thrown in a package and has sat there for GOD knows how long, when in 25 minutes you can have a delicious chicken breast that you cooked yourself!? And you can do SO many things with it! Put it in your salad, put it in your pasta, eat it on sandwiches, make a pizza! The possibilities are endless. And there is no messing around with pan frying or poaching it (ew). This is the SIMPLEST way to make chicken EVER.
Ingredients for the Perfect Chicken Breast
2-4 Chicken breasts – I generally buy a package of organic chicken breasts at the store or get them in bulk at Costco. If you get them in bulk, you are going to save money, and buying organic free-range chicken REALLY makes a difference, I PROMISE. It just tastes so much better! If you’re feeling REALLY adventurous, buy a whole organic chicken and trim the breasts off yourself. More on THAT in a few weeks.
Salt
Pepper
Whatever seasoning you like, I use Italian or Herbes d’Provence. However I’m feeling that day.
Olive Oil
One Cookie Sheet
Foil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the foil over the cookie sheet… this is going to make clean up a BREEZE. Use a little cooking spray to grease the foil and then pull your chicken breasts out of the package. Season them generously on both sides with salt, pepper and the herbs of your choosing. Then drizzle a little bit of olive oil over each breast to keep them moist.
Pop them in the oven for 20-25 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken breasts) and VOILA! The easiest way to cook a delicious, juicy chicken breast.
Was that easy or WHAT???
If you are skeptical that your chicken is finished, check to make sure the internal temperature is 165 degrees. Please don’t overcook them as it will dry them out and make them GRODIE to the MAX. (Channeling my inner valley girl, you like?). As always, practice safe handling of raw meat and wash your hands and anything else the chicken touched THOROUGHLY!
