Chicken Breasts with Herbs & Bacon

Keeping It Simple



Back when I was a computer programmer and then editor I would have loved to have had a 9 - 5 job — or so I claimed. A 50-hour week wasn't unusual and even 60-hour weeks were fairly common. On the other hand, as a programmer a lot of those hours over 40 went to personal projects and as an editor I just loved the work and devoted the time even though my boss seriously objected to my working that hard.

Nevertheless, I found time to cook every weekend. One night I'd make something that produced leftovers to keep me going during the week (I became quite creative at making minimal changes to a meal to make it seem different) and the other night I fix something special. However, even with my leftover strategy, there were times when I had to cook during the week and I came up with a number of recipes that were quick and easy to make — many involving chicken because I could keep a few breasts, individually packaged, in the freezer and then do a quick thaw in cold water when I got home.

The herbs and bacon add flavor and the bacon also keeps the breast from drying out.

Chicken Picatta is my all-time favorite, and for a year after posting my recipe here it was the most popular recipe I had on Seriously Good (I really need to make a new photo, I'd forgotten how bad that one was). I also frequently teach it in classes where it always gets raves. Another quick dish (although it requires a stop at the store) is trout or salmon filets brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with Spanish smoked paprika, and the broiled. It's downside is that the fish must be absolutely fresh because the preparation is too simple to cover for poor quality.

One of the first such quick recipes I came up was chicken breasts with herbs and bacon. The herbs and bacon add flavor and the bacon also keeps the breast from drying out.

Chicken Breasts with Herbs & Bacon

1 - 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 - 6 strips of good smoked bacon
Herbs de Provence
salt

Heat oven to 425F.

Place chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet, sprinkle generously with Herbes de Provence and lightly with salt. Fold each strip of bacon into a "V" and place on top of the chicken breasts. Bake in center of oven until bacon crisps and clear juices begin to run from the chicken. (About 20 minutes, internal temperature should be 160F.)

Serve with something equally simple to prepare such as a green salad or sliced tomatoes and cucumbers.

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