Garlic Chicken with Basil Crisp Crust Recipe

I have always been a fan of fresh herbs and look for recipes where I can incorporate the container herbs I grow on my deck into regular meals. I’ve had this garlic chicken with basil crisp crust recipe for several years and it is crazy good. Basil has to be one of my favorite herbs to cook with and the crumb coating is made with potato chips & Ritz crackers–something you may already have on hand!

This is also a great make-ahead meal for monthly menu planning. Double or triple the recipe, then prepare according to the directions, but DO NOT COOK! Place chicken breasts in foil pans with lids (you can get these at Sam’s Club), then take them out to thaw and cook as directed on days when you don’t want to make something from scratch.

If you love garlic & basil, you will love this garlic chicken with basil. I use fresh basil from my garden, but it is easy to find at the grocer.

Who knew that you can make a “fancy” tasting dish with potato chips & Ritz crackers? Your family will love this!

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5 to 6 oz each)
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup chopped fresh basil
6 oz bag of potato chips
10-12 crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions:

Get a large Ziploc bag and put olive oil, garlic, mustard, cayenne & 1/2 cup of the fresh basil into the bag. Add chicken breasts and seal. Massage bag to coat chicken well.
Marinate chicken in the bag for at least 2 hours.
In a large bowl, mix crushed chips, crackers, remaining chopped basil, black pepper & melted butter. Toss to coat chip mixture with butter.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
Sprinkle a small amount of crumb mixture into the bottom of the dish.
Lay chicken breast over crumbs. (Do not wipe off chicken–you want the marinade to stick to the chicken) Discard remaining marinade.
Spread remaining crumb mixture over chicken breasts- Be sure to use all the crumbs as it makes a nice crisp coating for the chicken.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until the meat thermometer registers 165.