- Olive oil for brushing
- 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves (if they weigh more than 6 ounces, halve and reduce cooking time by 5 minutes)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons French's or Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1½ cups store-bought or homemade whole-wheat bread crumbs
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush the foil lightly with the olive oil. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and season them generously with the salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, blend together the mustard and mayonnaise. Coat the top of each chicken breast evenly with about 1 tablespoon of the mixture.
- Spread the bread crumbs on a shallow plate. Roll the chicken breasts in them gently, pressing down firmly to coat them evenly.
- Transfer the chicken to the foil-lined baking sheet and bake until cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Adjust oven temperature to broil and cook until the crust is golden brown and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes more. For a healthy alternative to chicken fingers, serve the cutlets sliced into 2-by 4-inch pieces.
Tip: To make bread crumbs, first preheat oven to 325° F. Cut 4 slices of whole-wheat bread into 1-inch cubes and spread them in an even layer on a cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove and let cool, then transfer the cubes to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until the bread forms coarse crumbs.
