Baked Pecorino Chicken

Breaded chicken gets a serious upgrade with this all-in-one dinner. And considering the grown-ups can enjoy an adult take on the kids’ classic—complete with a side of sautéed greens—who cares if the little ones dip their chicken pieces in ketchup? It’s like a chicken nugget that everybody can feel good about. Our pecorino coating, which comes together in the food processor with standard sandwich bread, browns up nicely in the oven. And the meat cooks through in just 20 minutes, resulting in a crispy, crunchy crust around moist chicken breasts. We like to pair the main with Swiss chard, but any vegetable does the trick.

Ingredients

• 2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs
 
• ½ cup grated Pecorino cheese
 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
 
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
 
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
 
• 4 6-ounce boneless chicken breasts
 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
 
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves torn 

How to Make It

Step 1

Heat oven to 400°F. Toss together bread crumbs, Pecorino, butter, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. 

Step 2

Place the chicken in an 8-inch baking dish; season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture. Cover with foil and bake until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until crumbs are golden, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Step 3

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chard, remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with the chicken.