Beth’s Baked Chicken

Beth’s kitchen – such a happy place for me! Eating in Beth’s kitchen. Sipping tea. Chatting. Laughing. And yes, even a few tears shed over the years. But always comforting like a warm hug, just like Beth herself. And the food that is created in her kitchen? Oh my… she makes everything with enthusiasm and love! Her fridge is always filled to the point of bursting – so much so, that she has a second fridge (and freezer) in the basement, both which are always full as well! (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard her ask/tell husband Lorne to go downstairs and get [fill in the blank] from the fridge.) There are so many recipes that I could tell you about… Her cakes are unbelievable, she makes the best cottage cheese pancakes, she has a cheese soufflé that is not to be believed, and her brisket is out of this world. (And I’m a lucky gal – I have all of these recipes and as I make them, I will share them with you.)

But for today, it’s Beth’s Baked Chicken. Another simple, quick dish that is so yummy – it’s one of my regulars, not only because it’s just so good, but it’s also easy and freezes well so I can make a lot, freeze it and have it any time I want.

Here’s what you will need: boneless, skinless chicken thighs (and/or breasts as well, but I like dark meat), Kraft Golden Italian Salad Dressing, Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, garlic powder, pepper and Corn Flake Crumbs. Really, the hardest part about this recipe is to remember that it needs to marinate overnight, so it needs to be prepared the day before.

The first step is to rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.

Then pierce it well with a fork… (this is good if you’ve had a bad day and feel the need to vent!)

Once your chicken is stabbed real good, put it into a bowl and pour in the salad dressing.

And the Lawry’s…

… and then – you guessed it – the garlic powder and pepper!

And then just mix it real well – you might even want to pierce the chicken again with your fork at this stage, just in case you still have a bit of stress that still needs to be released.

Once it’s all mixed together, then it goes into the fridge (upstairs or downstairs, it don’t matter), and let it sit overnight. Try to remember to stir it up a few times.

Once you’re ready to start dinner the next night, pour the Corn Flake Crumbs into a bowl, so you can start coating the pieces.

Take each piece of chicken, and gently coat it with the crumbs until it’s completely coated.

Once this is done, shake off the excess crumbs, fold under the edges of the chicken thighs, and place on your baking pan. I cover the baking pan with some tinfoil that I’ve crumbled up and then spread out again so it’s wrinkly. I do this because this is what Beth does!

And then you’re ready to bake it in the oven. Couldn’t be simpler, right? And so very comforting, just like a dear friend! ♥

→ Click to download and print recipe.