I’ve often thought that more foods could use a jolt of loaded baked potato energy. The iconic trio of toppings—melty cheese, crispy bacon, and fresh green onions—should be enjoyed on top of more than just spuds. Chicken breasts, seasoned and seared quickly on the stove top, then given the baked potato treatment? Yes please!
Like a baked potato, a boneless, skinless chicken breast provides a blank canvas for a wide variety of flavorful toppings. They take far less time than potatoes to cook through, with a trade-off being a bit more attention and care. In order to make sure every bite is full of flavor, they’ve got to be seasoned well and seared until golden brown, and watched carefully so they don’t overcook.
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Tips for Making My Loaded Chicken Breasts
I like to use a mixture of garlic salt, seasoned salt, and black pepper to season my chicken breasts. Then, when they’re cooking, I’ll periodically take their temperature with an instant-read thermometer, just to make sure they’re not going over 165ºF.
Even better, get them up to 160ºF or so before adding the toppings—they’ll cook the rest of the way through as the cheese melts on top. If your cutlets are of varying thicknesses, you can remove the thinner ones to a dish as they cook through.
These days, most chicken breasts you’ll find run about 10 to 12 ounces; they’re quite big, providing two good-sized servings a piece. For this recipe, you’ll slice each chicken breast in half horizontally (as if you’re butterflying it, but cutting all the way through) to create two thinner cutlets. This means perfectly portioned protein, with lots more surface area for seasoning and toppings. You can also buy chicken breast cutlets already butchered this way if you like.
To complete your meal, serve any simply prepared green vegetable you like. Steamed or roasted broccoli is a favorite in my house. Asparagus, zucchini, or even a simple side salad would also be good. Some dinner rolls, steamed rice, or roasted baby potatoes are good, too.
