Dinner part one - Baked chicken breasts

I'm going to share with you my holy grail, my baked chicken recipe.  It's the ONLY recipe I've ever created.  We'll call it Nikki's Fabulous Chicken or Kitchen Sink Chicken breasts...we'll figure it out.  It's referred to as Mama's Baked Chicken in this house.  It was created the first day or so after Bo and I moved in together.  I'd just got back from grocery shopping that day so I lined up every spice I bought on the counter and stared at them trying to figure out what to do.  I had barely cooked up to that point and really had no knowledge of cooking outside of spaghetti with a jar of pasta sauce (which is still a family favorite LOL).  I decided what the hell let's throw it all on.  And you know what, it tastes really really good.   Oh and I have never given this recipe out before so this is a huge thing for me, ~eye roll~ hahaha...

Got the ingredients?   Now here's the tricky part...you season your chicken.  No really, that's it. I don't measure honey child, I just shake those little bottles over the chicken breasts until it looks ok and that's that.  This is why I collect recipes and not create them ;).  I do make sure that one side has more seasoning than the other and watch your basil and oregano too much of either/both is not a good thing, other than that I just sprinkle.  Does that count as measuring?

I set my oven to 320, yes 320 degrees.  I've had people look at me like they swallowed a frog when they hear that number but I promise you, there's a reason.  I know that 350 is the norm, but not with MY chicken. You do it any higher than 330 and the chicken gets dry and tough and I do not allow tough and dry chicken in my house.  I've tried rushing the bird and that's never pretty so 330 is the highest I'll go and only if I don't get it thawed in time for cooking.  I drizzle a little bit of olive oil in the bottom of a glass baking pan.  You can use cooking spray if you prefer but I love olive oil so it's what I use.  The taste isn't all that different honestly, it's more in my head that I like olive oil better.  Place the chicken breast in pan, pop it into the oven for 35 - 45 minutes (depending on your oven and elevation and if it's completely thawed...so guilty at starting with frozen chicken way too often) and let the magic happen.

So let's recap:
Dried seasoning to taste: basil, parsley, oregano, Lawry seasoning salt and garlic salt, salt and pepper.
Olive oil, enough to drizzle pan so chicken doesn't stick
Chicken breasts (I've used this blend on just about every kind of meat BTW, our favorite is chicken though)

Season chicken, drizzle pan with olive oil.  Place in oven set at 320 to 330 degrees, bake for 35 - 45 minutes until done.  Let rest at least 5 minutes, serve alone or with BBQ sauce or Ranch dressing...or A1 or Heinz 57, etc, we've tried them all ;).

You will have juicy and tender chicken breasts that taste awesome.  Any time I make chicken this is the blend of spices I use unless I'm using a recipe with specific spices.

Stay tuned for Part two, Chicken Noodle soup!