Page 38 of Sex On A Plate

BAKED BONE-IN CHICKEN BREASTS

DIFFICULTY: Meat in, meat out. See a pattern?

TIME: 55 minutes.

What you’ll need from the cupboard: A cookie sheet and a spatula.

What you’ll need from the pantry: Chicken breasts, salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary (not necessary, but if you have it, use it), basil, and olive oil.

* * *

Chicken breasts are simple to cook. They can be used as a meal, a means of making sandwiches, salads, pasta, tacos, casseroles, etc.

When it comes to split breasts, I prefer them as the main course of a meal. This recipe will produce a crispy skin and a moist, thoroughly cooked inside.

Preheat the oven to 375.

Remove the chicken from the fridge and pat dry. Coat with olive oil on all sides (yes, even the bottom). Cover with salt, pepper, and a light dusting of garlic powder (again, yes, even the bottom). Sprinkle with rosemary and basil on the skin side only.

Situate the breasts skin side up on the cookie sheet with space between them.

Cook them for one hour.

If you have a thermometer (you damned sure should), insert it into the thickest portion of meat, making sure it’s away from the bone. Remove from oven when the meat is at 165 degrees F.

Once cooked, let it sit for 6-8 minutes, and then serve.

If you’re using the meat for tacos or some other dish that requires shredding the meat (or removing it from the bone), let it sit for 5 minutes more. The inner meat is too damned hot to handle unless it’s had nearly 15 minutes to rest.

Yes, they’re that simple to cook.

Chicken breasts are the old pickup truck of meats. They’re solid and reliable, but they don’t evoke much conversation.

Nevertheless.

Enjoy.