Everyone tries to eat healthy, but it can be pretty boring. This chicken though, is so simple. 3 ingredients to incredible tender, juicy, flavorful chicken (I know, seems too good to be true). Being a med student, I have learned how to make the most of my time in kitchen (although, I would be totally happy spending all day in there). Being the daughter of an accountant, I have learned how to make things as cheaply as possible and get the most bang for your buck. So if you are one of those people who buy chicken in bulk when it is on sale, you are in luck, this recipe is for you!
I use sandwich bags and place in 1 chicken breast, add a little of the marinade, zip it back up and stick it in the freezer until I am ready to thaw it and use it. Take it out of the freezer in the morning and place it in the refrigerator and by the time you get home from work or school, it is ready for the grill or oven. individual servings.
Another variation, if cooking a bunch of chicken, the crock pot. Toss in the marinade and chicken, set it on low for about 5-6 hours and you are ready to go.
You will need:
1 package of chicken breasts (I had about 6 pieces in my package)
1/4 cup of lemon juice (I used the bottled lemon juice…more cost effective)
3/4 cup of Zesty Italian Dressing (divided into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup)
Extras:
Oven cooking: you will need a 13″x9″ pan and 2 sheets of aluminum foil (one for the bottom and one to cover on top).
Grill cooking: you will need tongs to turn the chicken. A zip lock bag (gallon sized for a package of chicken or sandwich bags for individual portions) will be needed as you will have to let this marinate before grilling. 6-8 hours minimum, but over night is preferrable.
Crockpot cooking: I recommend the crockpot liners (Buy Crockpot Liners Here) that you toss in the trash after you cook for easy clean up. Since this is a low and slow method, you won’t have to marinate it before cooking.
I made this batch in the oven, so here are the step by step pictures.
First, I lined my 13″x9″ pan with aluminum foil.
Next, I added 1/2 cup of Italian dressing and lemon juice.
I placed in my chicken and topped it with the rest of the Italian dressing.
I placed a sheet of foil on top and baked at 300F for about 30-35 minutes. I used a lower heat for a few reasons (I almost always cook on 350F or 400F), I did not previously let this marinate. I went directly to the oven, so I wanted to allow more time for flavors to sink in. I used a sheet of foil to steam the chicken more to prevent it from drying out since it was going to be in the oven for a little while longer.
Enjoy!
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