Laura's Carolina Baked Chicken

I'm always looking for new ways to cook chicken. Why? Well frankly, chicken is cheap, and when feeding a family of four, cheap is good!

A little while ago, I ate lunch at the Whole Foods café. This is something I rarely do because so much from their deli uses canola oil, and it's expensive, but when I'm out shopping & need a quick lunch it's a great option for me. Last time I went they had some "Carolina Grilled Chicken." It was really delicious, but I thought it needed a few changes, so I set to work.

Mine is baked-- hence the name-- because I can't grill at my apartment. Sad face. However, you could totally grill this if you wanted. Also, I used chicken breasts, but you can use this sauce and method for any cut of chicken-- think rich meaty thighs. Mmmmm...The mix of flavors for this chicken are fantastic. My children scarfed it down! I had to stop myself at one breast or I would've just kept eating.

I hope you enjoy this chicken as much as my family did!

Laura's Carolina Baked Chicken

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken breasts (or whatever cut of chicken you prefer)
1 cup olive oil
1/3 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (packed in oil)
2 Tbs fresh thyme + more for sprinkling
1 head garlic peeled
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*F. Place olive oil, dijon, tomatoes, thyme, & garlic into a food processor or blender. Blend until puréed into a sauce. Add salt & pepper to desired taste. Place chicken onto a baking pan or cookie sheet. Coat both sides with sauce. Sprinkle the tops with a little more thyme. Bake for approximately 30 min, give or take, until the internal temperature reaches 160*F (always check the thickest part of the chicken breast). The sauce will brown a bit, but don't worry-- it's not burning. Remove and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.

Serve with your favorite veggie side and ENJOY!