Roasted Chicken Breasts

I have already confessed to you my love of roasted vegetables. Well, I would now like to expand that to pretty much roasted anything.  I am truly a convert.  If I need to cook it, there is a good chance I might roast it! For recipes that require cooked chicken, I used to poach chicken breasts because it was fast and easy. Unfortunately, the chicken lost most of its flavor and was usually unevenly cooked.  One day, I decided to try something I had seen countless times on my beloved cooking shows: roasting my boneless skinless breasts instead.

WOW! Talk about juicy and perfect. They are amazing in any recipe or by themselves. While they do take a little time, because you have to get your oven so hot, I believe they are worth every moment. Plus, if you know your meal schedule you can roast enough for several meals.

Also, let me give you a quick tip on chicken breasts. I do not particularly like to buy frozen chicken breasts, no clue why, but I simply am not a big fan. Instead, I buy bulk fresh chicken breasts from Sam's. To preserve what I am not immediately using, I trim away any excess fat, lay them out on a cookie sheet making sure that they do not touch, and freeze them overnight.  The next day, I take out the cookie sheets and move the chicken breasts to freezer bags.  Voila - no blocks of frozen chicken!

Notes:

• This is more of a tutorial than a recipe, so there are no amounts of anything.
• Adjust your spices to the way you intend to use the chicken breasts.  Putting them in Lemon Poppyseed Chicken? Maybe substitute Lemon Pepper for the regular pepper. 
• In my ingredient list, I have specified Cavender's to be used.  This is a great basic, Greek seasoning that adds a little kick and works with almost any dish. Don't feel obligated to use it. Salt and pepper (unless you use appropriate substitutes, i.e. Lemon Pepper or Garlic Salt) are the only absolute spices!

Roasted Chicken Breasts

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cavender's

Preheat the oven to 425.

Place the chicken breasts into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle each one with salt, pepper, and cavender's (or whatever spice blend moves you at the time). Massage the spices into the chicken well on both sides. Make sure there is a nice coat of oil and spices on each breast. Place onto a baking sheet. Repeat for all of the breasts.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken in 160.  Remove the chicken to a plate and cover for 10 minutes to let the breasts regain their juices.