A way to a man's heart

I mentioned previously in the About Me page that M and I cooked most nights together while we were dating. There was one dish in particular that went straight to M's heart. They do say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and if it is chicken, M's heart is definitely the target. I made this chicken dish as one of the first meals I ever cooked for him. He was hooked from that day and we made it so much while we were dating - to the point where we retired the recipe for a couple of years.

I just pulled it out recently again and we remembered why we loved it so much. This dish is actually now a memory of our first year as a couple so it is special in that way. When you see, smell, or taste a dish from such a special time in your life, it makes you warm all over. At least it does for me. Those beginning stages of really falling in love with someone are priceless and this dish brings all those feelings back.

I got this recipe from my grandmother who got it from a friend so it has been passed down. I don't know where it originally came from whether it was in a cookbook or an old family recipe but it is a hand written recipe card in my recipe box.

If it came from a cookbook, I apologize if it is not referenced because I wouldn't know! I made a few small adjustments but not many were needed. It is so good just as it was written when given to me. I really only changed the cut of chicken and added an optional garnish. My measurements might be a little off as well. I do a lot by eyeballing. When it comes to cooking, I don't really measure. I leave that to baking.

Imperial Baked Chicken

Adapted from a family friend

The original recipe calls for chicken breasts but I like to use the tenders. Also, you could combine the entire juice of one lemon in with the butter and garlic mixture but I like to keep half of the lemon reserved and squeeze directly over the chicken right before they go into the oven. You can do this however you choose.

6-8 boneless chicken tenders (or 6 boneless chicken breasts)

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs, plain or seasoned (I use seasoned)

1/4 cup grated parmesean cheese

1/2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for an optional garnish

pepper

salt

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter

1 garlic clove, minced

juice of 1 lemon

green onion, chopped (optional for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350

Get an assembly line going. Put milk in a bowl. In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parmesean cheese, parsley, pepper, and a sprinkle of salt. Dip each chicken tender in milk and then dredge in the bread crumb mixture.

Arrange the chicken in a lightly greased baking pan.

Combine the melted butter, garlic, and half of the lemon juice in a bowl. Drizzle over the chicken. Squeeze the reserved half of lemon over the chicken. Bake for about 25-30 minutes (longer if using chicken breasts) or until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove from oven and garnish with parsley and/or green onion if desired. Serve immediately.