Parmesan-Crusted Chicken

This excellent dish is a snap to prepare.  I know, I know … I say that every time, but I have far too many favorites not to!

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken:

1 c. mayonnaise 
½ c. boxed, shake-on Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp. milk
2-to-3 lb. (900 g-to-1.4 kg) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (approximately 12-to-14 thighs or 6 half-breasts)
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
⅔ c. fine, dry bread crumbs (see Note)

Preheat oven to 425 deg. F. Spray-grease a 13x9-in. baking dish and set aside. In small bowl, thoroughly combine mayonnaise, Parmesan, and milk. Rinse chicken in cold water, blotting dry with paper towels. Coat chicken on all sides with mayonnaise mixture,  placing in baking dish. Combine basil, oregano, and garlic powder with crumbs, mixing well. Sprinkle tops of chicken with crumbs. Bake, uncovered, 25-to-30 min., or until no pink remains in chicken thighs. Bake an additional 5 min. for chicken breasts.

Note: No bread or cracker crumbs? Toast two slices of bread, letting them dry out as you prepare this recipe. Whirl them in a wide-based blender or in your mini-prep for crumbs in a jiffy. Each slice of toast produces ⅓ c. of crumbs. Thrifty types ... restrain yourselves! Never (and I do mean never!) reuse leftover bread crumbs, especially when those crumbs and raw chicken have done the dance with no pants. “Salmonella” is more than just another fancy dictionary word.

Combine mayo, Parmesan, and milk

Dip or brush chicken with cheesy mayonnaise mixture

Toasting bread for crumbs

Emergency crumbs in a pinch!

Dinner is served!