I have been wanting to post this recipe for months, but I was very unhappy with the pictures I initially took after I finally got the recipe to turn out.  And then it became winter and I lost all that daylight for good photos…argh.  I’ve finally decided to just post the recipe with the less-than-stellar pictures, and hopefully, I’ll eventually update the post with better shots.  I can say that I know I’ll be making it again, because we love this recipe!

This recipe originally came off Pinterest from the Better Homes and Gardens website.  It sounded like a great concept: it cooks in the crockpot (love those crockpot recipes) and it’s spicy, which ¾ of my family loves. (JJ can be picky. 😛 )  Unfortunately, the reality of it didn’t quite turn out the way I’d hoped.  I tried following it exactly, and the chicken turned out dry and the sauce was difficult to make. 🙁  So then I tried boneless chicken breast instead of bone-in, and that came out even drier.  So then I tried adding broth to the slow cooker.  Then it was all watery and gross.  Argh!!

I would’ve just scrapped it, but the problem was, Jamie loved the sauce.  Every time I’d ask him what he wanted for dinner, he’d ask for this.  But I hated it.

Last fall, after Jamie’s amazing 10k in November, I offered to make him a special dinner. And of course, he asked for Jalapeno Chicken Breast.  :/  I decided I would try it one last time, but this time, I came up with the idea to skip the crockpot part.  I did some Pinterest searching and found this recipe.   I’ve used Panko breadcrumbs in other recipes, and I found that I liked them, so I figured it was worth a shot.  And then, just as I was getting ready to put together all the different pans for the dredging stations required, I heard Jamie in the living room yell out, “Whoa! What was that?!”

And then the power went out. :/

It had been very windy that afternoon and evening after a big front came through, and it turns out the wind knocked over an electric pole that had a transformer on it, and that transformer landed on my neighbor’s plumbing van—which then exploded! (That’s what Jamie saw.)  At first we thought maybe it might come back on (we didn’t know about the exploding transformer yet), but it pretty quickly became apparent that it wasn’t going to happen soon.  My husband was hunting, so there was no one to pull the generator out of the barn.  I was bound and determined to make that chicken dish for Jamie, though, so…

Yep, cooking by flashlight and candlelight—almost like the pioneer days. 😉

I breaded the chicken and fried it in my cast iron pan.  It was supposed to then be baked in the oven, but I couldn’t use that without power, obviously, so I had to improvise and cook it on the stove-top in the cast iron pan. And it turned out great!  Here’s a few shots of the “Blackout” version I made last year.

Don’t get me started on why I hate those pictures. 😛 The sauce turned out wonderfully, but something weird happened to the chicken when I pounded it flat and they’re very oddly shaped. (Chickens don’t have tails!) Dude, it was dark when I made this! Cut me some slack. 😉

Still, despite the oddity of the chicken, I feel like it was a great success.  Jamie positively loved it, and now he requests it all the time. 🙂

Below are some pictures that I took the last time I made this dish, showing the flattened chicken and the dredging station.

Here it is all nicely-coated and ready to bake.

Now, before you see the next pictures, you have to understand that I had a little accident this time…I wasn’t paying attention and got way too heavy with the chili powder.  Oops.  That’s why the sauce is so orange here.  If you like chili powder, that’s an option (it wasn’t awful, just a bit spicier).  But I liked it better the other way.

I must admit, I am ridiculously proud of this recipe.  Not only did I take two recipes and alter them to fit my needs, but I did it all in the dark!! Rock star chef, that’s me. 😉  It really did turn out absolutely awesome!  The panko-breaded chicken is delicious, and the sauce is just…mmmmmmm.  😀

As far as points go, it’s a bit high, but it’s worth it, in my opinion.  The chicken is 8 points each, but it’s for a good-sized serving, and if you just use a little sauce (a little goes a long way), it’s only one point.  You could also serve it with pasta with some extra sauce on top (which we do all the time—we love that sauce!).

I feel like this is my first real food-blogging success…well, recipe-wise.  Picture-wise, not so much. 😉

Thanks for reading!

Panko-Breaded Chicken Breast

Ingredients
Chicken

1 Tbsp + 2 tsp Olive Oil
28 oz Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (between 4 and 5 ounces each)
1 1/2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 tsp Ground Pepper
1/3 cup Light Mayonnaise
3 Tbsp Fat free Milk
2 tsp Thyme (to taste; I use less because Jamie isn’t fond of it)

Sauce

4 oz Light Cream Cheese
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Water
1/4 Cup Jalapeño peppers (Pickled and Sliced)
1 tsp Chili Powder
3/4 Cup Fat-Free Chicken Broth

Directions

Heat the oven to 400F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and fit it with a wire rack. Lightly spray the rack with cooking spray and set aside.

Place the panko, cheese, and measured oil in a shallow dish, season with salt and pepper, and use your hands to combine evenly. Place the mayonnaise, milk, and thyme in another shallow dish, season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. Set both dishes aside.

Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise. Place 1 piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness (about 1/2 inch) with a meat mallet or the bottom of a frying pan. Place on a large plate or second baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
Season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dip 1 piece of chicken in the mayonnaise mixture and turn to coat. Then dip it in the panko mixture, turn to coat, and press the mixture onto the chicken to adhere. Place the breaded chicken on the prepared wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces, leaving at least 1/4 to 1/2 inch of space between the pieces. Bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 30-35 minutes.
For sauce, in a small bowl, combine cornstarch and the water; stir into chicken broth in a small saucepan, add chili powder and diced jalapenos. Add cream cheese, whisking until combined. Cover and cook over medium heat about 15 minutes more or until thickened. Serve chicken with sauce.

Serves: Chicken serves 6
Sauce serves 8 (extra for putting on pasta, if you like!)

Points: 8 for the chicken, 1 for the sauce