A girl can dream of a big ktichen

It's always a treat when I get to cook for others. Of course, we all seek the praise and affirmation of our friends and family, but they are also the most likely to be honest and blunt about whether or not you are the BEST or could be BETTER at something. 

I was going back and forth thinking I wanted to be really daring and ambitious, with such a large kitchen at my disposal, I wanted to whip up something complicated. But I was conservative and went with a favorite. A simple oven baked rosemary chicken dish that packs a lot of flavor without the calories; this recipe is originally from Cooking Light, with only one modification, believe it or not! 

A great insider's tip for any cook or baker: 1 cup of buttermilk = 1 cup of yogurt

BAM! The secret is out! Cut the fat, and maybe more than half, by substituting recipes with regular or greek yogurt instead. 

Side Note: I am a huge fan of Cooking Light, for two reasons: they provide great, everyday recipes that are slimmed down and their recipes cater to beginner cooks who want to learn basics that they can eventually build off of. 

Oven Baked Rosemary and Walnut Chicken

Crispy Panko breadcrumbs and the crunch of those walnuts give this chicken a bite like none other.

adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk ( I used yogurt here instead)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4 thinly sliced, chicken cutlets
• 1/3 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts 
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• cooking spray
• rosemary leaves (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine yogurt and mustard in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Add chicken to yogurt mixture, turning to coat.
3. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko to pan; cook 3 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Combine panko, nuts, rosemary, pepper and salt in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture; discard buttermilk mixture. Dredge or coat chicken in panko mixture until evenly and completely covered.
4. Arrange a wire rack on a large baking sheet; coat rack with cooking spray. Arrange chicken on rack; coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Garnish with rosemary leaves. This dish is great with a side of salad, vegetables or sliced into a salad, for a healthy leftover lunch.