Shake 'n Bake...NOT!

I just finished a PPT presentation for tomorrow and I should be getting some beauty sleep instead of writing this blog. I like to share a quick recipe that I have been making recently that is just amazing. I'm big fan of chicken because it is rather inexpensive and you can buy them almost everywhere. Costco sells packs of boneless chicken thighs where you can freeze the unused packs. I would probably estimate that 50% of my weekday cooking consists of chicken. I like cooking with chicken thighs because it doesn't dry out as easily as chicken breasts. Feel free to substitute with chicken breast for any of the recipes. I remember growing up as a child that my older sister and I would never argue with chicken parts. She likes the white meat and I prefer the dark meat. That is probably the only thing that we agree on! Actually we agree on a lot of things :)

What is the recipe? It is a variation of Shake 'n Bake but 20X better:

Recipe for 3 people:

• 6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs (that said, it tastes better with the skin but not as healthy)
• 2 tbs of the magic spice - Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning.
• 1 cup of Italian Bread Crumbs
• 2 tbs of chives or parsley

For the stuffing (optional)

• 1/2 cup of mushrooms -- any type would do 
• 6 small slices of ham 
• 1/2 of Mozzarella cheese 

Keep in mind that this is meant to be quick and easy. You can easily turn this into a foodie recipe with modifications like brining the thighs ahead of time, adding a nice sauce, etc.

Take a thigh and wrap it with a layer of ham, a small portion of mushrooms, and a sprinkle of cheese.

 

Roll it up gently. You can even use a toothpick to keep it in place. Mix the breading together in a separate bowl.

 

You can moisten the chicken with water or egg ahead of time. Lightly batter the chicken thigh with the breaded mixture. A light coating is plenty.

 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. The liquid from the chicken should be clear. Serve with your favorite veggies and starch! 

 

The Tony Chachere's seasoning makes all the difference! It may be difficult to find in your local grocery store so check online. Fortunately I have a secret supplier that sends me a 6 pack on a regular basis from Alabama :) I used it in a lot of recipes as a seasoning.