Cookbook:Crispy Santa Fe Chicken

| Southwestern U.S. cuisine

A lot of crispy baked chicken recipes use things like breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs. Here, the croûtons add a little flavor.

Ingredients

 * 4 ea. (28–32 ounces) boneless skinless chicken breasts
 * ½ cup crushed garlic-flavored croûtons
 * ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
 * ½ tsp freshly-ground cumin
 * 1 tbsp chili powder
 * 1 tbsp salt
 * 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
 * 1 tbsp freshly-ground black pepper
 * ¾ cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese
 * Olive oil

Procedure

 * 1) Preheat oven to 425°F.
 * 2) Combine butter, seasonings, and salt in a pie plate or a large wide dish.
 * 3) Dip chicken into egg mixture then dredge into croûton crumbs. Let rest 2–3 minutes.
 * 4) Coat chicken pieces on olive oil then place on a greased baking pan.
 * 5) Insert a probe thermometer into one of the pieces, and bake in the oven until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
 * 6) Sprinkle chicken pieces evenly with cheese and bake until cheese is melted. Serve warm.