So, I tried something new last night. I got home from a massive grocery shopping expedition yesterday afternoon, having been caught in as equally a massive downpour in the process.  After putting the groceries away – which was fraught with a tired baby getting mad because he couldn’t hang out in front of the fridge, rearranging everything – the last thing I felt like doing was cooking dinner. However, having just spent a pretty penny (why do all the expensive things run out at the same time?), I couldn’t justify an impassioned “but honey, I’m so tired, let’s order out”.  So, I had to suck it up.

Fresh chicken breasts are among the staples in the weekly shopping trip (either via a fresh, whole bird or on sale as their own entities) – so I used my imagination and impatience and came up with something that both my husband and I enjoyed very much.  I like to experiment with them.  I usually make my own salsas, my own sauces, etc., but this wasn’t happening.  I would do some work, but certainly not all of it.

Rummaging through my spices, I made a rub of these ingredients:

• 3 Tbs. black pepper
• 2 Tbs. chili powder
• 2 Tbs. dried oregano
• 1 Tbs. dried cilantro leaves
• 1 ½  tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• ½ tsp. ginger

I dredged three chicken breasts through the mix. Then, I crushed (well, pulverized, really) a pile of tortilla chips and rolled the breasts around in them, coating each one.

Then, I sprayed cooking spray on a non-stick pan (even with non-stick ovenware, I find that this step can save valuable time in the cleanup).  I laid out the breasts, poured some delicious white corn and black bean salsa all over them.  Then, as a finishing touch, I sprinkled the top with grated, extra-old cheddar.

I popped the roasting pan into the oven (350°) for about 40 minutes (checked with a meat thermometer to be sure - 165°F/74°C right on the button!).

I served it with corn-on-the-cob (which was pretty good for this time of year, though certainly not as good as in August).

It was a success – like a Tex-Mex Chicken Parmesan, really and I think I’ll keep that rub recipe around for a while.  It would work really well in burritos, fajitas and more!

Total preparation time was about 10 minutes – about the same amount of time it would take to make boxed mac ‘n’ cheese.