Savory Herb Crusted Chicken with Zucchini Hash Browns

Just Google chicken recipes and you’ll come up with “Results 1 – 10 of about 14,600,000 for chicken recipes.”

I’m not surprised by this number, are you? I’m sure your recipe box is full of all manner of chicken casseroles, barbecue dishes and chicken salads. And why not? Chicken is an inexpensive protein, that almost everyone loves.

This chicken recipe uses a healthy cook’s best weapon for making a crusty baked chicken dish – panko bread crumbs.

It’s easy to make a fried chicken dish that’s crunchy and delicious, but baking chicken and getting that same mouthwatering “fried” texture and taste is a little bit more difficult. Standard bread crumbs often end up mooshy and flavorless. Panko bread crumbs keep their crispness, so they are my breading of choice.

Give this savory, crusty chicken a try. You’ll be a panko convert in no time.

Happy cooking!

Savory Herb Crusted Chicken with Zucchini Hash Browns

Serves 2

2 cups O’Brien Potatoes, frozen
½ medium red bell (capsicum) peppers, chopped
½ medium zucchini, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded to an even thickness
½ cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons nonfat milk
1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add hashbrowns and red pepper. Cook for 5 – 6 minutes until pepper is softened and hash browns have thawed and are beginning to brown.
3. Add garlic, zucchini and a pinch of salt and pepper to the hashbrowns and stir together.
4. Place skillet in the oven. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until hashbrowns are cooked and lightly browned.
5. Combine yogurt and milk in one dish, and panko, rosemary, chives, parsley and salt and pepper in another dish.
6. Dredge chicken in yogurt, and then press into panko mixture.
7. Spray a non-stick cookie sheet with cooking spray and place chicken on the cookie sheet. Spray the top of chicken breasts with cooking spray. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes (depending on how thick your chicken is) until chicken is a few minutes from done. Meat should no longer be pink.
8. Turn on broiler and brown the tops of the chicken.

What’s good for me in this dish?

Chicken is a complete protein, with less saturated fat than beef. Much of the fat is in the skin, so it is best eaten without the skin, with chicken breasts being the leanest choice. Chicken provides 67% of your daily protein needs. It also has cancer protecting B vitamins, including Niacin and B6 for energy.

Zucchini squash is high in vitamin C, manganese and magnesium. Helpful for prostate health. It’s also good for cardiovascular health.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 498
Total Fat: 11.60g
Cholesterol: 86mg
Sodium: 562mg
Total Carbs: 56.70g
Dietary Fiber: 6.78g
Sugars: 7.81g
Protein: 41.18g

Weight Watchers Points 10

Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.

Last updated by Kristi Rimkus at January 5, 2013.

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