Celebration Chicken with Smashed Potatoes

I found this recipe in Everyday Food magazine, in a Newman's Own advertisement actually. I ended up using Bernstein's Restaurant Recipe Italian dressing, a more creamy Italian. I served it with a down-scaled version of the smashed potatoes, found in the same magazine. Yum! Both the potatoes (my new favorite) and the chicken turned out delish. Got some greens in the mix with a little broccolini.


Celebration Chicken

1/2 c Italian salad dressing
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 c panko breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 t ground pepper
1 lb. chicken tenders
olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a shallow glass dish, whisk together salad dressing and egg. In another dish, combine panko, parmesan, salt, and pepper.

Dip the chicken tenders in the salad dressing mixture, and then coat in the panko mixture. Repeat once more, dredging in dressing and panko. Place on baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and browned on top.

Smashed Potatoes

small fingerling potatoes
coarse salt
extra virgin olive oil

In a medium pot, bring potatoes to a boil over high in salted water. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes; drain. Place a folded dish towel on a work surface and place a potato inside. Gently smash potato so that it is flattened but still in one piece (edges will split). Repeat with remaining potatoes.

Preheat oven to 450'. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 1 T oil. Place potatoes on sheet and brush tops with 1 T oil. Bake until crisp and golden, 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Season with salt.