If you have as many food allergies as my family, and you don’t eat pork, then you probably eat a lot of chicken!  While roasting chicken is my favorite preparation (see Roasting Chicken), I have finally figured out a no-fail way to bake tasty chicken that is not dried out.  The best part is that you can change up the ingredients to create the flavors that fit your tastebuds.

Generally, use boneless, skinless, defrosted chicken breasts.  I prefer Kosher and organic when I can find it, because it always tastes more flavorful and slightly juicier.  Also, use a glass lasagna or similar glass casserole pan.  Preheat the oven to 325.  No matter what ingredients you add, always cook the chicken for one hour (if you use frozen chicken, check them at one hour and bake a little longer if they’re not quite cooked through).  Extra Virgin olive oil in the pan, followed by chicken breasts turned over in the olive oil, with salt and pepper, and chopped onions and chopped garlic, are the other staples to crowd-pleasing baked chicken every time.

Here are a few variations that even my two-year old will eat:

Ginger Chicken
Ingredients:
Fresh (or powdered) ginger root
Fresh garlic
One Lemon
Olive oil
One leek or small onion
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 small bag baby carrots
1/2 small box of fresh baby bella mushrooms
Sea salt
Black pepper
Preheat oven to 325
Use glass lasagna/casserole pan
Put generous amount of evoo in pan
Put three boneless skinless chicken breasts in pan.  Turn over so both sides coated in oil
In separate bowl, grate fresh ginger, garlic, and lemon zest (from one lemon).  Add olive oil, chopped leeks (one leek — or can use onion if want), and juice from lemon.  Mix
Pour mixture over chicken, making sure lots stays on chicken.  Turn chicken over and put some of mixture on other side.
Add salt and pepper
Spread baby carrots and sliced portabella or baby bella mushrooms around chicken.  Drizzle some olive oil, and scatter salt and pepper over veggies.
Bake at 325 for 1 hour.
Enjoy!  Tastes good cold, or reheated with some of the oil from the pan.
My take on chicken marbella (same idea as above)  (Inspired by the Silver Palate Cookbook Chicken Marbella recipe)
Preheat oven to 325
Use glass lasagna/casserole pan
Put generous amount of evoo in pan.  Add some red wine vinegar
Put three boneless skinless chicken breasts in pan. Turn over so both sides coated in oil.
Sprinkle chopped fresh garlic and onion over chicken breasts.
Sprinkle generous amount of crushed oregano over chicken breasts (tastes better with fresh oregano in season, but I use dried all winter long).  Add chopped fresh (or dried) parsley.
Spread baby carrots, sliced portabella or baby bella mushrooms around chicken.  Can also add cherry tomatoes.  Drizzle with olive oil
Add sea salt and black pepper.
Bake at 325 for one hour
Enjoy, same as above
Baked Chicken with Homemade Pesto
You can also make same recipe with olive oil, then add garlic, onions, cherry tomatoes, and put homeade pesto (basil, garlic, olive oil — add walnuts or pinenuts if no nut allergy, and freshly grated parmesan if no dairy allergy) on chicken — also yummy!