Cheddar Ranch Chicken

 

One of my go-to recipes when I need something fast and easy to make is this yogurt parmesan chicken – it’s pretty much impossible to mess up, and the chicken turns out moist and delicious.  I tried out this variation last week and it was great!  The ingredients are pretty similar, but this one used Panko bread crumbs, dry ranch mix, and cheddar cheese. 

I substitute Greek yogurt in any recipe that calls for mayonnaise.  In the half cup needed for this recipe, mayo would have 748 calories, while the Greek yogurt has 155.  Plus instead of 1 gram of protein, you get 8 grams.  I get the full-fat yogurt, but it still only has 11 grams of fat compared to 83 grams in the ½ cup of mayonnaise (there have been studies that consuming full-fat dairy products is actually associated with LOWER body weight…).  You get some calcium too as a bonus. 

Serve it with some simple sides and you’re good to go – I made potatoes and broccolini with ours. 

Cheddar Ranch Chicken (adapted from Buns In My Oven)

Ingredients:

·        8 boneless chicken tenders (the original recipe called for 4 chicken breasts)

·        ½ cup plain greek yogurt

·        2 T dry ranch dressing seasoning (1-ounce packet)

·        ¼ cup grated cheddar cheese (plus a little extra to melt on top towards the end)

·        ¼ cup panko bread crumbs

·        Cooking spray

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

2. Spray a large baking dish and place your chicken in it. 

3. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, ranch seasoning, and cheddar cheese. 

4. Spread over the chicken and sprinkle with panko.  Spray lightly with cooking spray. 

5. Bake for about 25 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked through.  In the last few minutes, sprinkle a little extra cheddar cheese over the top.