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How to Make Chicken Breast in Parchment
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Chicken School

How to Make Chicken Breast in Parchment

This classic and healthy French cooking technique adds loads of flavour with a minimum of fat.

Parchment paper is an amazing non-stick, no-mess cooking tool that is overdue for a renaissance in your kitchen. The best thing about parchment paper is it saves your bakeware from hard cooked-on grease and makes cleaning up so much easier.

Cooking in parchment pockets (also known as “en papillote”) infuses food with natural flavours to create delicate and aromatic dishes. This classic and healthy French cooking technique adds loads of flavour with a minimum of fat.

What you’ll need:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 3 tbsp melted butter
  • 2 large tomatoes, sliced
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 tsp dry basil
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 4 sheets of parchment paper

Chicken breasts baked in parchment paper are a simple and healthy dinner. First, preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). While the oven heats up, cut your parchment paper into a 12” x 12” square (one square for each chicken breast).

Coat one side of the parchment paper with melted butter, then sprinkle half of the paper with green onions and ¼ cup of mushrooms. Next, gently place a chicken breast on top of the bed of onions and mushrooms and sprinkle it with some tarragon. Keep layering your meal, adding two slices of tomato on top of the chicken breast and sprinkle that with basil, parsley and a drizzle (about 1 tbsp) of white wine.

Now comes time for some simple origami. Fold the other half of the parchment paper over the ingredients and tightly gather the paper closed on every side, leaving about 1 inch around for steam to circulate within the package. It doesn’t have to look perfect, but it does need to be sealed all around to keep the steam inside.

When you’ve prepared all of your chicken breasts, place the packets on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 20 minutes. You’ll see the parchment parcels puff and brown slightly.

When their time is up, use a food thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken. You know it’s cooked properly when it reaches 165°F (74°C).

Remove your individual meals from the oven, and very carefully open the packets, watching out for the steam because it can burn! Use a spatula to lift and place chicken and vegetables onto a plate, or let them rest still in the paper for a few minutes and allow the kids to unwrap dinner like a present!

Inspired to try more chicken in parchment recipes? Try this Tomato Feta Chicken recipe, or this Asparagus Chèvre Chicken recipe.