Muenster Chicken - Oven-baked chicken breasts are dredged in bread crumbs, covered with creamy Muenster cheese and infused with a subtle hint of white wine!
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Growing up in Wisconsin you'll find that cheese is a staple ingredient to almost every recipe prepared around here. Even if I didn't live in the Midwest, I have a sneaky suspicion cheese would actually find me. Believe it or not, a couple weeks ago I tasted a kind of cheese I had never tasted before.
I'm not sure why I had never tasted it before but I think it had something to do with the name. Muenster. I think the name reminded me of The Munsters. Do you remember that show? Regardless, there was just something about the name that turned me off a bit, so I just had never tried it.
I was at a family get-together, and we were all sitting around the table eating off of a cheese plate. I picked up a piece of what I didn't know at the time was Muenster cheese, and it turned my world upside down. This cheese was the most creamy and mild cheese I had ever tasted.
I recently posted something on my personal Facebook page about this being the best cheese ever, and my dear cousin Sue commented that she had a recipe for Oven-Baked Muenster Chicken. No way. I asked her to send it over. She did - and the rest is history.
To start out, my cousin Sue and her husband Bob are wonderful cooks and they love to travel, so they have the opportunity to try so many wonderful dishes. I was so excited to try out this recipe from her.
These oven-baked chicken breasts are dredged in bread crumbs, covered with creamy Muenster cheese and infused with a subtle hint of white wine. Divine.
I'm going to apologize up front for the photos. I made this chicken in the evening and I was fighting for natural light. The photos took me back about a year ago when I had first started blogging {shudder}. I considered not even posting this, but because the recipe is so delicious, I just had to share and couldn't wait for "the next time." Because, believe me, there will be a next time. Sue mentioned it has become one of their go-to recipes in their house. It will become a go-to recipe in ours, too. For sure.
So, I mentioned I made two batches. I prepared the chicken in two different pans. For one batch I used a 9x13 foil-lined baking pan, and for the other, I used my ridged stoneware baking pan. The cheese over the chicken in the foil-lined baking pan actually browned nicely, whereas it just looked "melted" in the other pan. You are welcome for the experiment. 🙂 All of the chicken breasts were still super tasty, but for a nicer browned cheese effect, I recommend using a foil-lined baking pan.
I was a bit leery about adding the white wine to the bottom of the pan because I imagined the bread crumbs and bottom of the chicken getting soggy. But. . .IT DIDN'T. The wine just infused the chicken and the cheese melted around each breast, perfectly.
What a simple, delicious recipe. SO GOOD. Thanks so much, Sue, for a fantastic oven-baked chicken recipe, perfect for a busy weeknight or lazy weekend meal.
Oven-Baked Muenster Chicken
Ingredients
- 3-4 skinless (boneless chicken breasts)
- 6-8 slices of Muenster cheese
- Plain or seasoned bread crumbs
- ¼ c. dry white wine
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Wash and pat chicken breasts dry.
- Salt and pepper chicken.
- Dredge both sides of the chicken in bread crumbs.
- Place in greased, foil-lined pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 16 minutes.
- Remove from oven and pour wine in the bottom of the baking pan.
- Place two slices of cheese over each chicken breast.
- Return to oven and bake an additional 16 minutes, or until done.
Notes
- Ensure Even Cooking: To ensure that the chicken cooks evenly, try to select chicken breasts that are similar in size and thickness. This helps to ensure that they cook at the same rate, preventing some pieces from becoming overcooked while others are still undercooked. If your chicken breasts vary in size, you can pound them to an even thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin before seasoning and breading.
- Add Flavor with Seasonings: While the recipe suggests seasoning the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, feel free to customize the flavor with additional herbs and spices. You can add dried herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or oregano to the bread crumbs for added flavor. Alternatively, you can marinate the chicken breasts in a mixture of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and herbs before breading and baking for a more flavorful result.
- Check for Doneness: To ensure that the chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C). Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast to get an accurate reading. If the chicken is not yet done after the initial baking time, continue baking until it reaches a safe internal temperature, being careful not to overcook and dry out the chicken.
Anonymous
I've made this twice (or three times?) and it is delicious!! Crispy chicken & melty cheese, what's not to love?
Sara
I'm so glad you enjoy it!!
Denise
Loves this recipe. The chicken was moist and it was very easy and quick to prepare.
Sara
That's great to hear, Denise! So glad you enjoyed it!
Jessica Johnson
Do you dip the chicken in egg before breading? Or just straight into the bread crumbs
Sara
You shouldn't need egg. Even after you pat the chicken breasts with paper toweling, they should still be moist enough to hold the crumb mixture.
Linda Ewankowich
This was great, a definite go-to chicken dish! My husband loves Muenster cheese so I gave it a try. Easy to make, great taste, it's a win win! Only change was I used Panko crumbs because that's what I had on hand.
Sara
I'm so glad you and your husband enjoyed it! I love your substitution of Panko crumbs, too!
Garrett Allen
How come no guys are on here? This dish rocked and my family DESTROYED it. Thanks for the recipe.
Sara
You just made my day, Garrett! And THANK YOU for being here! Those other "guys" just don't know what they're missing. 😉
Karly
This is my kind of dinner! Thanks for linking up with What's Cookin' Wednesday!
Liz
Delicious recipe. Thanks so much.
Sara
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Liz!
Jaren (Diary of a Recipe Collector)
That's always no fun when I lose light and I need to photograph! They still look absolutely delicious! Thanks for linking up with Saturday Night Fever!
Sara
Thanks for the sweet comment, Jaren! Maybe I need to make dinner during lunch and just reheat later? LOL
LAURA
Hi Sara- This is a Tickle My Tastebuds Tuesday feature at http://imnotatrophywife.com! Sara I stopped by to tell you and I got lost in your blog with all the recipes etc! Congrats to your little guy! Would love a social media shout out on Tuesday if you get a chance! Please link up again- maybe those blueberry muffins! yum! laura
Sara
So exciting about the feature, Laura! Thank you so much!
Tess
Does it have to be white wine? We aren't big drinkers and I don't want to waste the wine. Otherwise this sounds great!
Sara
Tess, you probably wouldn't need to put anything in the bottom of the pan after you put the breading on the chicken. I think the wine gives the chicken an extra pop of flavor, but the chicken alone with the breading and the cheese would still be quite flavorful. Try using seasoned breadcrumbs instead of plain!
Sue Gebhardt
Tess, we purchase the little individual bottles of wine in the liquor section of the grocery store when we make this recipe. Often you can buy singles... or they come in a four pack. Yes, unless you plan to drink the rest of the bottle of wine when you make this chicken recipe, it's better to just use a portion of a small bottle. I truly do believe it adds flavor to the recipe.
Pure Grace Farms
Looks delicious. Hey, when the food is hot, who has time to take a lot of pictures! I would love it if you had an opportunity to come by this evening and share at Foodie Fridays (Thursday 9 pm EST). The recipe looks great and I think everyone will love it.
Blessings,
Shari
http://puregracefarms.com/
Sara
Thanks for stopping by, Shari! You're so right about eating the food when it's still hot! Regardless, even if the photos didn't turn out as good as I would have liked, the chicken is amazing!
Elizabeth
I love these. I have to laugh about the picture comment, because I haven't been blogging for long, but even so my pictures have improved so much!! I guess I have to go back sometime and redo those pics! I love how this turned out and I would probably do the foil if it makes the cheese brown!! Pinning and so-to-try!!
Sara
Elizabeth, I think all bloggers feel that way about going back to "re-do" photos. Sometimes, however, it's fun to look back and see how you've progressed and how far you've come. You definitely need to try the chicken and best wishes for continued blogging success!
Yolanda Shoshana
Girl! I don't normally comment on blogs but this got my attention. I love nesting in the fall so this chicken is so gonna get made on a football Sunday!! Thanks. 😉 PS- what you got for crockpots, I will be on the lookout.
Sara
Yolanda! You certainly made me smile today! You definitely need to make the chicken and I will make sure to get some crock pot recipes on the schedule! I love comfort food too!
Serene @ House of Yumm
This sounds soooo good right now! I love muenster. I love cheese. Anything with cheese is a definite winner in our household. And you're so sweet you cook your family dinner on time and do the pics anyway. I cook my family food during the morning so I can take my pics and then serve them the reheated food later. They have no idea what a freshly cooked meal tastes like anymore! #foodbloggerproblems
Sara
Uggh, Serene. This was one of those "I'll just try and take a picture of the food on the table" type situations. LOL The daylight was already gone - a complete disaster, but such a good recipe. I never thought about cooking dinner EARLY! LOL Love it. I may need to do that come winter when it's dark by 4:00 pm!