PARMESAN ENCRUSTED CHICKEN WITH CUMBERLAND SAUCE

*Make Cumberland Sauce (below) ahead of time and reheat when chicken is almost done.

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup Panko (plain) or toasted bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup currant jelly
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup Orange Marmalade
2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Coleman’s dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon Texas Pete hot sauce, or your favorite brand
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger or 1/4 freshly ground ginger 

Pre-heat oven to 350°. Mix Panko and parmesan cheese in a pie plate. Pound the chicken breast with a mallet and flatten to about double the size. Line baking sheet with tin foil or parchment (easier clean up). Melt butter in a separate pie plate. Line baking sheet with tin foil or parchment (easier clean up). Dredge a chicken breasts in butter coating both sides. Then do the same with the panko/parmesan mix and place. Continue with the other three breasts. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until browned. (Mine were done in 20 minutes because they were young, free range and thin when bought.

*CUMBERLAND SAUCE

Combine jelly, orange juice, orange marmalade, vinegar, dry mustard, hot sauce, ginger in a small saucepan and heat over medium high, stirring constantly until heated through. Reserve.

To serve, you can put sauce on plate, topped with chicken, or place chicken first with sauce over it, or both. Or serve the plates and pass the sauce in a gravy boat.

I used to cook this dish for company when I was a young adult and entertaining with simplicity. It is such an easy dish, but elegant in presentation.

Cumberland Sauce is a fruit based sauce with vinegar usually served with white meats. This recipe made extra and I am saving for my pork tenderloin dish tonight.