Cracker Chicken

I have essentially been  a stay at home mom for 20 years. 2 decades you guys ! Man I am feeling old just absorbing that! Anyway, I have made thousands of meals in that time for my husband and sons. Some that were totally forgettable, some just meh, and some that I make over and over. This chicken is one of the latter . My boys request this chicken the most out of anything I make. So old school, retro 70's cracker chicken. Super easy to put together with ingredients that you more than likely have on hand. I always make sure I have a sleeve or 2 of reduced fat Ritz brand crackers on hand just in case I decide to make this meal on the fly. Now, I know it seems like a lot of butter. But it is just used to adhere the crackers to the chicken. It really isn't that much at all. I say go for it. Use coconut oil or olive oil if you must, but it will not taste the same as using the butter. Trust me. I have tried it all 3 ways and the butter wins hands down. When I crush the crackers I use my hands and crush them over a shallow bowl. I have tried the plastic bag method but it is one extra step and takes longer for me than just using my hands. I usually just eyeball the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Maybe 1/4 tsp of  both salt and garlic powder and 4 or 5 grinds of fresh pepper. Season to your liking. I have just started using Penzey's Spices  roasted garlic and I am obsessed . I sprinkle this on everything. I just checked their website and they are out of stock, but I highly recommend bookmarking the page and ordering one , or two :) when it becomes available again.
You can also experiment with different spices and flavors with this chicken. It is a great base recipe.

Cracker Chicken

Ingredients
6 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless ( I use 3 fat ones and cut them in half horizontally)
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, melted
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
4-5 grinds fresh black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease a baking dish.
2. Place the crushed crackers into a shallow bowl. Add the salt, garlic powder and pepper to the cracker crumbs and stir until well blended.
3. In a second shallow bowl, add the melted butter.
4. Dredge each piece of chicken into the butter, and let the excess drip off, then  dredge in the cracker crumbs, coating well. Both sides. Then place each chicken breast into the baking dish in a single layer.
5. If you have extra butter , just drizzle it over the tops of the chicken.
6. Bake , uncovered for 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the crackers are golden brown. If the crackers are getting too brown, just cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and continue to bake.