Chicken breast with thyme and lemon crust

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 chicken breast fillets
• 10 thyme sprigs, fresh
• 100 g breadcrumbs
• 80 g butter
• 1 organic lemon(s)
• 50 g Grana Padano or Parmesan, grated

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

Crispy baked chicken breast with fresh thyme and lemon

Preheat the oven to 160°C (top/bottom heat). Pluck the thyme leaves from the sprigs and finely chop. Grate the zest of the organic lemon and squeeze out the juice. Thoroughly mix the thyme leaves, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, and softened butter in a bowl until the butter is fully incorporated. Place the chicken breast fillets on a baking sheet or in a casserole dish. Spread the prepared breadcrumb-butter mixture generously over the fillets and press down lightly. Bake the chicken breast fillets in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Then increase the temperature to 240°C (475°F) and toast the crust for a few minutes until golden brown. Before serving, drizzle the chicken breast fillets with lemon juice to taste. Serve with a fresh tomato and onion salad with a vinegar and oil dressing. Note: Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the chicken breast fillets. A meat thermometer can be helpful to ensure that the chicken has reached at least 90°C.