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If you haven’t checked out the Meat Counter at your local Festival Foods, I highly recommend it! You can find plenty of standard meat options; beef, chicken, seafood, etc. …things you would expect to see. BUT you will also find some specialty items you might not be familiar with. My favorite items to buy are the encrusted chicken breasts. They come in a variety of flavors; pecan, parmesan, buffalo, and tortilla are the most common. If you are lucky, you might find a different flavor from time to time. They are sold individually or pre-packaged as a pack of 2, depending on the store location.
You can typically find some of each in our freezer for a quick and easy weeknight meal. Most commonly, I will bake the chicken breasts and serve them with a side salad or slice the chicken to eat on top of a bed of lettuce. You can play around with different flavor combinations and customize each salad to your liking. If I’ve captured your attention and you keep reading, you will see how I pair each flavor of chicken with a different salad.
- Fall Salad with Pecan Encrusted Chicken
- Parmesan Encrusted Chicken with Arugula & Lemon Vinaigrette
- Simple Salad with Buffalo Encrusted Chicken
- Southwest Salad with Tortilla Encrusted Chicken
Each chicken breast is preparing the same way, but the salad ingredients are slightly different. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and spraying a baking dish with cooking spray. Place both chicken breasts in the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Each recipe serves 2. You can cut each recipe in half or double as needed to feed the # of people you are serving. Now let’s talk salad!
Fall Salad with Pecan Encrusted Chicken
This salad encompasses the flavors of fall! Think tart apples, a maple Dijon dressing, crunchy lettuce, and tender chicken. The pecans give the chicken a slightly sweet and buttery taste, and crispy coating.
While the chicken is baking, prepare the dressing. Combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, as necessary.
Assemble the salads. Divides the lettuce between 2 plates. Top with shredded cheese, dried cranberries, golden raisins, and chopped apple. Add one chicken breast to each plate. Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately. Enjoy!
The recipe can be found here.
Parmesan Encrusted Chicken with Arugula & Lemon Vinaigrette
I think this salad is my favorite! The chicken is coated in parmesan, giving it a rich and savory flavor, and it’s perfectly moist and tender. The citrusy lemon compliments the peppery arugula and cuts some of the rich parmesan flavor. I used shaved Montamore Cheddar Cheese (from the fancy cheese section) instead of shaved parmesan for this recipe. You can use either, but I liked the flavor combination.
While the chicken is baking, prepare the dressing. Combine the olive oil, olive oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, as necessary.
Assemble the salads. Divides the arugula between 2 plates. Top with the shaved cheese. Add one chicken breast to each plate. Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately. Enjoy!
The recipe can be found here.
Simple Salad with Buffalo Encrusted Chicken
This salad is like a wedge salad but in deconstructed form. Chopped lettuce instead of a wedge, and it’s served with cheese, onion, tomato, and ranch or blue cheese dressing. The buffalo encrusted chicken is spicy – be warned! I needed the crisp lettuce and creamy dressing to help cut the heat. The buffalo encrusted chicken would also be tasty if you slice it and serve on top of mac & cheese.
While the chicken is baking, do nothing 😊
Assemble the salads. Divides the lettuce between 2 plates. Top with shredded cheese and sliced onion. Add one chicken breast to each plate. Drizzle with ranch or blue cheese dressing and serve immediately. Enjoy!
The recipe can be found here.
Southwest Salad with Tortilla Encrusted Chicken
This encrusted chicken breast is available in 2 varieties; tortilla encrusted, and tortilla encrusted with cheese. The tortilla encrusted with cheese is phenomenal! Once baked and cut open, the cheese oozes out and melts all over the chicken. The plain tortilla encrusted chicken (without cheese) is a little bland for my tastes, but you can dress it up with the salad or sides and is a healthier option because it’s not stuffed with cheese! It pairs well with the southwest dressing…it’s like a chicken taco salad.
While the chicken is baking, do nothing 😊
Assemble the salads. Divides the lettuce between 2 plates. Top with shredded cheese, sliced onion, and chopped tomato. Add one chicken breast to each plate. Drizzle with Taco Gringo sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!
The recipe can be found here.
Stock up on the Encrusted Chicken Breasts today! Have fun creating your own recipes or modify what I’ve shared with you today. Don’t like raisins, add some sliced grapes. Don’t like onion, substitute with green bell pepper. You get the idea! Or simple enjoy the chicken with a side of corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, French fries, steamed veggies…you name it!
Happy Cooking!
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