Garlic Lover's Chicken

There's plenty of garlic flavor in these very flavorful and moist chicken breasts topped with bread crumbs and cheese.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 520 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ½ cup margarine, melted
• ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• ¼ cup kosher salt
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• ½ cup shredded Italian cheese blend, or to taste
• ½ cup dry Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
• 14 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Stir water, kosher salt, and sugar together until the salt and sugar dissolve completely into a brine.

Step 2

Put chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag; pour brine into the bag with the chicken. Squeeze air from the bag and seal. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.

Step 4

Mix Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl; spread about 1/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Step 5

Remove chicken from the brine, shake off excess liquid, and pat dry. Discard remaining brine.

Step 6

Coat chicken with olive oil. Arrange chicken atop the Parmesan cheese layer in the baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese mixture over the chicken.

Step 7

Mix garlic, margarine, and lemon juice together in a small bowl; drizzle over chicken.

Step 8

Cook chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 25-30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Step 9

Switch oven to broil. Sprinkle cheese over the chicken breasts.

Step 10

Heat oven's broiler. Cook chicken under the broiler until the cheese is melted and golden brown, about 5 minutes more.