Tortilla Crusted Chicken

Oooh, this is so good!  My favorite snack is chips and salsa and this is a legitimate dinner that encompasses both those things in a tasty chicken dish.  I've made this a few times and love that with a quick pan fry you can get a crispy coating on an otherwise baked chicken breast.  The coating is crunchy and perfectly seasoning, the chicken is juicy, and it served up with Mexican Rice and a salad you have a complete meal.  Topped with some fresh salsa and this chicken is just perfect!

When I saw Meagan at A Zesty Bite post this recipe last summer, I couldn't wait to try it.  The first time I made it, I didn't have enough panko crumbs and had to supplement with regular bread crumbs.  It was good, but not perfect.  So the second time, I went all panko and what a different!  The light, crunchy texture, the pale, crisp color, and just enough of a light flavor that the tortilla chips really shined with their salty goodness.  Perfect.  And rather than Meagan's avocado sauce, I opted for my homemade salsa, since Dave's not a big avocado fan.  This was perfect, with a light fresh flavor, and will definitely stay in my menu rotation.  I used two large chicken breasts and fileted them to get two more normal sized pieces that would cook in the right amount of time.  So I increased the amount of crushed chips and panko, just to be sure I had enough.  This tortilla crusted chicken is a delicious, easy, twist on baked chicken that is perfect for everyday dinner or a little something special.

Tortilla Crusted Chicken

Ingredients

2 large or 4 small chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
salt and pepper, to taste
1 egg white
1 cup panko
1 cup tortilla chips, crushed or ground
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup homemade salsa

If using large chicken breast, carefully filet them (cut in half through the thickness) to create 4 chicken breasts.  Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Put the egg white in a shallow bowl.  Put the panko, crushed tortilla chips, cayenne pepper, salt, onion powder and garlic powder in another shallow bowl and mix to combine.  Line up both bowls and you chicken, assembly line style.

Dip each chicken breast in egg white to coat, then let excess drip off into bowl.  Dredge egg-coated breast in tortilla chip mixture, coating completely.  Continue until each chicken breast is coated.

 

 

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Gently place each chicken breast in pan and cook gently for about 2-3 minutes, then turn to cook other side.  You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your pan.

Arrange pan fried chicken on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Remove cooked chicken from pan and serve topped with homemade salsa.

Makes 4 servings.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

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