Cover up those (chicken) breasts
October 26, 2014 4:09 PM Subscribe
What are some good sauces to bake chicken breasts in?
Lately my go-to weeknight meal has been chicken breasts baked with some sort of sauce+veggie. So far I've tried and liked salsa+sliced peppers and barbecue sauce+sauerkraut (yes, totally weird, but a friend recommended it and it's delicious, especially with a sweet potato on the side).
What I like about this chicken+sauce method is that it keeps the chicken from drying out while it bakes, and the sauce tends to reduce and become more flavorful. I also like that it's easy and involves minimal dishes to clean.
I'm looking for some other suggestions, ideally but not necessarily with a veggie that gets baked in the same pan as the sauce and chicken. If the veggie needs to be sauteed or steamed separately, that's OK too, but I'd prefer everything be done in one pan. And I prefer baking to, say, sautéing for this purpose because I can put the chicken in, do other stuff, and come back when it's ready.
Lately my go-to weeknight meal has been chicken breasts baked with some sort of sauce+veggie. So far I've tried and liked salsa+sliced peppers and barbecue sauce+sauerkraut (yes, totally weird, but a friend recommended it and it's delicious, especially with a sweet potato on the side).
What I like about this chicken+sauce method is that it keeps the chicken from drying out while it bakes, and the sauce tends to reduce and become more flavorful. I also like that it's easy and involves minimal dishes to clean.
I'm looking for some other suggestions, ideally but not necessarily with a veggie that gets baked in the same pan as the sauce and chicken. If the veggie needs to be sauteed or steamed separately, that's OK too, but I'd prefer everything be done in one pan. And I prefer baking to, say, sautéing for this purpose because I can put the chicken in, do other stuff, and come back when it's ready.
Yassa chicken is a senegalese dish that you can prepare this way. The sauce consists of thinly sliced onions, lemon juice, oil or butter, salt and pepper and maybe a little chili. Comes out surprisingly nicely. I prefer it with dark meat but you could make it with chicken breasts as well and I'm sure it would be fine.
posted by zdravo at 4:34 PM on October 26, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by zdravo at 4:34 PM on October 26, 2014 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I like to bake chicken breasts covered in a mixture of dijon mustard-soy sauce-minced garlic (bought is fine)-olive oil. It tastes yummy and combines with lots of veggies. I usually cook the chicken alone but if I were to cook it with veggies I'd probably go with zuchinni in thick slices and tossed in olive oil, or eggplant could work too.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 4:37 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by CrazyLemonade at 4:37 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
Chicken Divan? My grandma makes it using a simple tin of chicken soup, some curry powder and broccoli, and cheddar on top, and it's rather tasty.
Jars of curry sauce topped with things like flaked almonds, other nuts or sliced onions seem like they might work quite well too.
posted by lucidium at 4:38 PM on October 26, 2014
Jars of curry sauce topped with things like flaked almonds, other nuts or sliced onions seem like they might work quite well too.
posted by lucidium at 4:38 PM on October 26, 2014
Best answer: Whisked together and poured-on dijon, sesame oil, a touch of honey, lemon juice and minced garlic, then covered with thin, round-sliced lemons that get brown and sticky on the chicken = very delish. Bake sliced bell peppers, onions, etc in same pan.
posted by third rail at 4:53 PM on October 26, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by third rail at 4:53 PM on October 26, 2014 [4 favorites]
Make up a batch of caramelized onions (this slow cooker method works perfectly and the leftovers freeze well) and use anything + onions. Unreal depth of flavour and succulence.
posted by maudlin at 4:53 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by maudlin at 4:53 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
Honey-glazed chicken: 3/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 2T lemon juice. Mix, then pour over chicken breasts or thighs (skin-on is best). Baste often.
posted by DrGail at 5:02 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by DrGail at 5:02 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
Coconut milk, grated ginger, chopped garlic, lime, chicken broth, sliced onion, cilantro. (If you narrow it down, coconut milk is the important bit, all others are if-you-have-it. Get fancy with curry pastes and powders, if you like.) Works great with most vegetables, I like carrots, cauliflower, bell pepper, mushrooms. Some are better cooked/zapped separate and tossed in, some bake well, it's a matter of taste.
Tomatillos (fresh or canned), cilantro, a mild/medium pepper (or canned chili), onion, garlic, a little honey or sugar, chicken or veggie broth. Top with crema or sour cream, serve with sliced cabbage and lime or vinegary sauteed greens, makes mystically delicious leftovers.
If you like mushrooms, a combination of whatever you've got plus rehydrated shitake or porcinis or whatever dried ones you've got access to, and the liquid you rehydrated them in. Add that to wine, butter, onions, carrots, chicken broth, parsley. Low-rent coq au vin.
Named when I was 9: Italiany Tomatoey Chicken Breast Things. Can crushed tomatoes, whatever fresh tomato you have that needs to get used up chopped (or a small can of chopped), garlic, oregano (dried works better here), rosemary if you have it, parsley, broccoli or bell pepper or any other green thing, a bunch of bread crumbs and parmesan mixed in with more on top.
posted by Mizu at 5:34 PM on October 26, 2014 [2 favorites]
Tomatillos (fresh or canned), cilantro, a mild/medium pepper (or canned chili), onion, garlic, a little honey or sugar, chicken or veggie broth. Top with crema or sour cream, serve with sliced cabbage and lime or vinegary sauteed greens, makes mystically delicious leftovers.
If you like mushrooms, a combination of whatever you've got plus rehydrated shitake or porcinis or whatever dried ones you've got access to, and the liquid you rehydrated them in. Add that to wine, butter, onions, carrots, chicken broth, parsley. Low-rent coq au vin.
Named when I was 9: Italiany Tomatoey Chicken Breast Things. Can crushed tomatoes, whatever fresh tomato you have that needs to get used up chopped (or a small can of chopped), garlic, oregano (dried works better here), rosemary if you have it, parsley, broccoli or bell pepper or any other green thing, a bunch of bread crumbs and parmesan mixed in with more on top.
posted by Mizu at 5:34 PM on October 26, 2014 [2 favorites]
Best answer: You can do Jamie Oliver's chicken in milk with breasts (just watch your timing). It's delicious.
Also, I keep linking this in every thread but this process makes perfect lush silky chicken breasts that can stand gentle reheating (in sauce, if you like). I've probably done 50 breasts since I saw this a couple months ago, they're great every time.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:45 PM on October 26, 2014 [12 favorites]
Also, I keep linking this in every thread but this process makes perfect lush silky chicken breasts that can stand gentle reheating (in sauce, if you like). I've probably done 50 breasts since I saw this a couple months ago, they're great every time.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:45 PM on October 26, 2014 [12 favorites]
If you're into super-lazy, my favorite is to use a jar of French salad dressing (Thousand Island or Ranch also work).
Or a jar of teriyaki sauce too.
posted by jpeacock at 6:33 PM on October 26, 2014
Or a jar of teriyaki sauce too.
posted by jpeacock at 6:33 PM on October 26, 2014
Best answer: Karma for you! Today's NY Times offered a technique for keeping chix breasts tender & moist. Haven't tried it but I will.
posted by LonnieK at 6:34 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by LonnieK at 6:34 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
Not exactly a sauce, but I like to grate some parmesan cheese, mix it with some panko breadcrumbs, some pepper and any other spices that might sound good, and pat it into a crust on top of the breasts, then bake. Maybe coat the breasts in oil first so that it sticks well, but don't add oil to the mixture--it'll get gloppy and hard to deal with. Tasty with some veggies or a salad!
posted by tybstar at 6:55 PM on October 26, 2014
posted by tybstar at 6:55 PM on October 26, 2014
Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? They have "simmer sauces" that are basically exactly what you are looking for. There's no reason you couldn't bake the chicken in it instead of doing it on the stovetop.
posted by gatorae at 7:12 PM on October 26, 2014
posted by gatorae at 7:12 PM on October 26, 2014
Best answer: This recipe - Food+Wine Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken - is intended for the grill, but I made it tonight in the oven and it turned out great.
posted by Andy's Gross Wart at 7:31 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Andy's Gross Wart at 7:31 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Garlic Lime Chicken is the most delicious chicken breast recipe I have even eaten.
posted by Jacqueline at 7:36 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Jacqueline at 7:36 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
Tandoori chicken is good stuff, also a yoghurt marinade.
posted by XMLicious at 4:06 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by XMLicious at 4:06 AM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
Baked Chicken + Cauliflower with Crispy Breadcrumbs
The chicken tastes like a delicious, up-market adult version of Shake-n-Bake, and cauliflower with breadcrumbs is a classic combination. I like my cauliflower roasted a dark nutty brown, so I use two separate baking dishes and cook it longer; you might experiment with cooking in the same pan.
3-4 slices of a good, hearty white bakery bread
1 bunch parsley, cleaned of stems + dead leaves
boneless chicken breasts or thighs
3 TBS mild dijon mustard (I really like this one)
1 head cauliflower, washed + chopped into large florets
olive oil
1) Throw the bread and parsley into a food processor; pulse until you have a lot of soft, green-flecked breadcrumbs.
2) Arrange the chicken on a baking tray. Spoon the mustard over and spread over the chicken; then press breadcrumbs onto the chicken, using the mustard as "glue."
4) Arrange cauliflower in separate baking dish; drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle remainder of breadcrumbs over.
5) Bake at 400 until cauliflower is tender and browned (about 40 min) and chicken is fully cooked and crumb topping is golden (about 25 min).
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:09 AM on October 27, 2014
The chicken tastes like a delicious, up-market adult version of Shake-n-Bake, and cauliflower with breadcrumbs is a classic combination. I like my cauliflower roasted a dark nutty brown, so I use two separate baking dishes and cook it longer; you might experiment with cooking in the same pan.
3-4 slices of a good, hearty white bakery bread
1 bunch parsley, cleaned of stems + dead leaves
boneless chicken breasts or thighs
3 TBS mild dijon mustard (I really like this one)
1 head cauliflower, washed + chopped into large florets
olive oil
1) Throw the bread and parsley into a food processor; pulse until you have a lot of soft, green-flecked breadcrumbs.
2) Arrange the chicken on a baking tray. Spoon the mustard over and spread over the chicken; then press breadcrumbs onto the chicken, using the mustard as "glue."
4) Arrange cauliflower in separate baking dish; drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle remainder of breadcrumbs over.
5) Bake at 400 until cauliflower is tender and browned (about 40 min) and chicken is fully cooked and crumb topping is golden (about 25 min).
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:09 AM on October 27, 2014
Best answer: This mayo-Parmesan cheese chicken is absurdly good. I have in the past whizzed up some artichoke hearts and mixed in with the mayo and cheese -- also good.
posted by OrangeDisk at 8:53 AM on October 27, 2014
posted by OrangeDisk at 8:53 AM on October 27, 2014
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One word on the sauce though, it doesn't reduce as much as you might like with the recipe as-is. You can either reduce the amount of extra water in the sauce during prep, or pour it over the chicken at the start of the baking rather than halfway through.
posted by olinerd at 4:16 PM on October 26, 2014