Parmesan Crusted Chicken {Hellmann's Mayo Recipe}

Wow! This recipe by Hellmann's/Best Foods sounds too good to be true - with it's 4 ingredients, 5 minutes of prep time and 20 quick minutes of baking time - but it's totally true and totally amazing! Even my husband who is not a fan of mayo (a key ingredient in this recipe) absolutely raved about this dish and cannot wait to have it again. In fact, I wanted to take a picture of him enjoying it but he devoured it before I could grab the camera! Hellmann's, or Best Foods Real Mayonnaise as those of us on the west coast know it, really knocked it out of the park with this recipe.


Think juicy, moist, tender and incredibly tasty. Don't let the limited number of ingredients fool you. Their mayo gives it all the richness in flavor you could desire.

Yep - just these 4 easy ingredients, that's all it takes to get moist, delicious
Parmesan Crusted Chicken in well under 30 minutes.  Really!!

So amazingly moist and rich!

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

(recipe courtesy of Hellmann's/Best Foods, sponsored post)

serves 4

Oven 425 degrees F

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Hellmann's or Best Food's Real Mayonnaise

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

4 boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets, about 1 1/4 lbs. total weight or about 5 ounces per breast

4 teaspoons Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

Place mayo and cheese in a small bowl and mix.

Lay chicken breasts on baking sheet (I line my baking sheet with parchment paper to make clean up easy) and spread mayo mixture evenly atop each.

Next evenly sprinkle bread crumbs atop each.

Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly and juices run clear. Tops will be browned and chicken will be incredibly juicy. You can also finish them off under the broiler for a minute or two to get them extra browned on top.

Season with a dash of fresh cracked pepper and sea salt, if desired.

Serve with a veggie like these delicious fresh french green beans that I steamed.

YUMMMMM!

8/20/12 Update:
I'm not kidding when I say I make this dish practically every week and have been since my original post almost a year ago. It's ALWAYS a hit. It's quick, inexpensive, reasonably healthy and amazingly delicious. A few things some of you have asked about:

• I use chicken cutlets that I buy at Gelson's - the thin ones - or you can just butterfly a normal boneless breast and that will yield 2.
• You can definitely use normal boneless breasts, just increase your cooking time by at least 10 minutes (original cooking time for thin cutlets is 20 minutes, so for thick boneless breasts cook them at least 30 minutes, or until they are no longer pink inside/fully cooked).
• I've used light mayo (and just about every form of mayo there is) and it comes out fabulous every time.
• Many of you have said you've experimented by using yogurt (Greek, plain, 0%, or light), and/or sour cream (regular or light) in place of the mayo and had great results. If you choose to substitute, especially with 0% Greek yogurt, consider adding some fresh squeezed lemon juice, garlic powder, and some extra salt and pepper to the mix to amp up the flavor.

This was a sponsored post. The opinions expressed herein are my own and were in no way influenced. This recipe is awesome!

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If you like this recipe, check its healthier Paleo, Keto and Bulletproof cousin Parmesan Crusted Halibut!

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Shrimp Linguini with Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Shrimp Linguini with Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Talk about quick, easy and satisfying. This dish has it all. I used frozen peeled and deveined wild caught shrimp and whole wheat linguini - both cook very quickly. And I used jarred sun-dried tomatoes plus the oil they were marinated in so this dish came together in under 20 minutes.

Use the oil and seasonings from your
sun-dried tomatoes to cook the shrimp

One of the other things I really love about quick pasta dishes like this is that I can whip it up for lunch for one, or easily increase the ingredients to accommodate as many servings as needed. In this case I made enough for 2 for dinner.

Shrimp Linguini with Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Serves 2 (recipe easily doubled)

4 ounces whole wheat linguini, cooked according to package directions, reserve small amount of pasta water

20 medium (41/50 count) peeled and deveined wild caught shrimp

2 large cloves fresh garlic, minced

1/2 jar of 8.5 ounce jar of marinated sun-dried tomatoes, tomatoes rough chopped, use oil for cooking

1 Tablespoon butter

sea salt

fresh cracked pepper

shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

In a large skillet over medium-high heat place half the oil from the jar of marinated sun-dried tomatoes plus butter. When heated add the garlic and cook for about a minute until garlic is fragrant, then add shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes and sprinkle with sea salt. Cook for approximately 1-2 minutes per side until shrimp is opaque and cooked through.

Add cooked pasta to skillet along with small amount of reserved pasta water and toss. Season with additional sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Place in bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve immediately with a small salad or green veggie.

Quick, easy and satisfying!

Yummy with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

All About Figs plus a Fig and Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Loin Roast Recipe

Black Mission Fig (solid black), Brown Turkey Fig (green and purple), Calimyrna Fig (green)

The incredible, edible...fig!  As delicious as it is beautiful.  As versatile as it is mysterious.

Brown Turkey Fig (back left), Black Mission Fig (front left), Calimyrna Fig (front right)

I was thrilled when the California Fresh Fig Growers Association offered to send me some fresh figs to play with. I've long been a fan of them.  Recently in the form of Pancetta Wrapped Figs, and Brie with Fig and Almond, and as a child when my mom used to make homemade fig bars - her version of Fig Newtons.

So what is a fig?

A fig is a fruit and it grows on a tree.  It's smooth on the outside and soft on the inside with lots of edible seeds. You can eat the whole fig raw, skin and all, or you can prepare figs any number of ways - from sweet to savory. Figs are typically small, about the size of a golf ball or slightly larger.  Although last year at Bristol Farms I saw figs the size of my palm!

Unusually large figs I saw last year at Bristol Farms!

Fig tree orchard on left, figs on right (photos courtesy of California Fresh Fig Growers Association)

What does a fig taste like?

Figs have a distinctive flavor.  They're mildly sweet without being overly so.  The darker figs, like Black Mission Figs are richer and earthier, while the lighter colored figs, like Calimyrna Figs are more buttery and nutty.  Dried figs are similar to the texture of prunes and taste somewhat like the inside of a Fig Newton.

Where do figs come from?

Did you know that California produces 100% of the United States' dried figs and 98% of our fresh figs?  And in CA there are 5 primary varieties of figs - Black Mission, Calimyrna, Brown Turkey, Kadota, Sierra Figs.  In most stores here locally in Southern CA, I generally find the first 3 fresh figs - Gelson's currently has fresh Black Mission and Brown Turkey Figs, and Bristol Farms has fresh Calimyrna Figs. The dried figs I usually find are Black Mission Figs.

Nutritional Info on Figs:

Figs are naturally fat free, sodium free and cholesterol free as well as being rich in antioxidants, fiber, potassium and calcium. They're an all-natural energy source making them perfect for an afternoon snack or a quick boost before a workout!

Brown Turkey Fig

Figs are a wonderous and versatile ingredient. This time I chose to use fresh (but you could also use dried) figs in a beautiful stuffed pork loin roast.

Fig and Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Loin Roast

Serves 4-6

Oven 400 degrees F

Ingredients:

1 1/2 - 2 pound pork loin roast

2 ounces goat cheese

1 1/2 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced and cooked till crispy

1/2 shallot, minced

1 sprig fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish
2 fresh or 3 dried figs (any variety), rough chopped

kitchen twine

2 Tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil (for high heat)

sea salt flakes (I use Maldon)

fresh cracked pepper

Place goat cheese, cooked and diced pancetta, minced shallot, leaves from one sprig of rosemary, a pinch of sea salt, and a bit of fresh cracked pepper in small bowl and mix.

Next add figs and gently mix.

Set aside mixture and prepare pork loin. Cut large slit or pocket in middle of pork loin roast being careful not to cut through the ends or filet. Place mixture inside the pocket.

Close up pork loin and hold together by tying several pieces of kitchen twine around. Then coat with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Heat up oil in a skillet to high heat. Place pork loin in and sear all sides.

Place pork loin in baking dish and roast in oven for approximately 40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches about 140 degrees F. Remove from oven, cover with foil and allow to rest approximately 15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.


Slice, garnish with fresh rosemary and serve. Yum - rich and full of flavor!

For more recipes using fresh and dried figs, like the one below for Chocolate Covered Figs, visit: www.calfreshfigs.com and www.californiafigs.com.

Chocolate Covered Figs (photo courtesy of California Fresh Fig Growers Association)