Cornflake Chicken

The first meal I ever made for Mike when we were dating was cornflake chicken with mashed potatoes - a Hartman family favorite.  I took him to the store with me, bought the ingredients, and then asked him to guess what we were making.  He has zero ideas and was a little afraid to admit he was scared of what this meal would hold.  Finally, I let him in on the secret and although he was still skeptical, he was more willing to try whatever I was concocting. 

However, when we got to making the mashed potatoes all heck broke loose. I boiled the potatoes per usual and began to put them in the mixture when this happened:

       "What are you doing with those potatoes?" - Mike

       "I'm going to mash them..." - Me

       "With the mixer?" - Mike

       "Yes. Is that a problem?" - Me

       "Well where's your masher?" - Mike

       "I don't use a masher! That's too much work and they don't get creamy like I like them." -Me

       "Well I don't know about this..." -Mike...

His constitution had reached its breaking point.  This whole meal was just weird including the lady with the mixer making mashed potatoes.  So I interjected:

"Why don't you just let me make dinner and if you don't like it fine, but just try it first."

Well guess what folks, he ate it, loved it and even married me later despite it.  Believe it or not he commented that the mashed potatoes were excellent! Who would have thought?

So here it is: Cornflake Chicken:

It is a fantastically delicious and pretty speedy weeknight meal.  Full of tons of great things like butter - yes, I sound a bit like Paula Deen, I know.  Problem is, there's not a great recipe for this - I always just kind of make it up.  So I've tried to compile an actual recipe for anyone else who wants to try it! Sadly there's not mashed potato recipe this time.  That's another of those I-just-put-whatever-sounds-good-into-the-pot kind of recipes. Maybe someday soon. 

Cornflake Chicken:

1 stick of butter, melted

1 packet of ranch mix (you can find it by the salad dressing)

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/2 cup parmesan cheese - nothing fancy, just the stuff you buy in the can

4 cups-ish cornflakes, finely crunched (*yes, that's the technical word.  This is best done with your hands.  You don't want it too big or too small)

1/2 T garlic powder

2 t italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 375 grease or spray oil a 9x13 baking sheet or cake pan.  Mix the crunched cornflakes, italian seasoning, garlic powder, ranch mix, and parmesan cheese together in a large bowl.  Take one piece of chicken, coat in the butter evenly the transfer to the cornflake mixture.  Repeat - you want a double coating to get a really great crunch.  Repeat for every piece of chicken.

When all piece of chicken are coated, place in the oven for 35 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.  Serve to skeptical boyfriends, loving husbands, or anyone else you so choose!