Breaded Baked Chicken with Roasted Potato Wedges, Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges, Roasted Fennel and Broccoli

Growing up Friday night dinner was mandatory.  Friday night was the beginning of our Sabbath and my mother made Shabbat dinner every week whether we were at home, the cottage.

When I was at home I woke every Friday morning to the smell of onions frying.  My mother liked to get up early and get as much of the cooking done as she could.

Every Friday of my youth my mother made a huge pot of chicken soup, three chickens, Challa bread,  and various accompaniments such as chopped liver as an appetizer or lung and liver, potatoes or kasha or rice and a vegetable.  This was the only time in the week we got dessert (other than fruit) which was usually home made pie.

Everybody came.  Even when I moved out on my own I came home for Friday night dinner as did my brothers, we often brought our friends and when we had families we brought them.  

I used to make Shabbat dinner and make the Challas etc. for my family.  But with the girls working on Friday nights I don't bother anymore.  

Why am I talking about Friday night on a Thursday?

Because I am making Breaded Baked Chicken.  Not the same as my mothers but it still reminds me of hers.

One of the biggest differences is that I use parchment paper instead of foil under the chicken.

We used to love to pick at the little bits of skin and breading left on the foil - nothing sticks to parchment paper.   When I was in my late 20's my cousin Myrna moved to Toronto to do her residency in Ophthalmology.    She lived down the hall from me.  When she was on call and couldn't come for Friday night dinner I used to bring dinner home for her.  One of the things we packed up for her was the foil that the chicken cooked on - her favorite part!

I love chicken on the bone.  We have two white meat eaters and two dark meat eaters.  I can make a whole chicken but I am going to make chicken breast and chicken thighs.  I always make extra as it is delicious cold.

I have found the best way to get it crisp and have the breading stay on is to make it ahead and leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours.

I bread the chicken and put it on the parchment lined pan and put it into the fridge uncovered for at least two hours.  Today I made it in the morning and will bake it at 4:30.
I was going to make roasted cauliflower but cauliflower is $5.00 a head today - I will wait until it is at a reasonable price!

My convection oven has three racks.  The chicken will go on the bottom, the potatoes in the middle and the fennel will go on the top rack.

Breaded Baked Chicken


If your family likes only white meat, use breasts only.  If you only like dark meat use thighs and or legs.  If you like a variety, use a whole chicken cut into ten pieces.
I like to cut the breasts in half.  I do this so they are easier to handle and so that there is more breading on each piece.  Gives you the option to take as much as you want without having to commit to a huge piece.
This is what I am making today.

2 chicken breasts - skin and bone in              
6 chicken thighs - skin and bone in.
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon (or to taste) granulated garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg lightly beaten
Line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper                                          

Cut breasts in half (I use my kitchen shears). Place egg in a shallow bowl.  Place breadcrumbs, garlic and salt in a plastic bag.  Dip chicken pieces (individually) in the egg then place in the bag and shake to cover.  Place each piece skin side down on the pan, do not crowd.
Place pan in the fridge uncovered for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to convection 350 or 375 regular bake
Bake for one hour turning each piece halfway through.

Roasted Potato Wedges and Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

4 medium potatoes (I like Yukon Gold)
2 small or one large sweet potato
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Peel the sweet potatoes and wash the regular potatoes
Cut in half lengthwise, then in quarters lengthwise then depending on how big your potatoes are and how big you want your wedges cut each quarter lengthwise again and again if you are using large potatoes.   Do the same with the sweet potatoes and cut each piece in half.
Put oil  and salt in a plastic bag.  Place potatoes in and shake.
Place potatoes on a parchment lined baking pan and bake at 350 convection or 375 regular for one hour turning after 30 minutes.

Roasted Fennel

Roasted fennel is sweet with a hint of licorice.
It makes a nice change and is readily available in the winter (without breaking the bank)

1 Fennel Bulb
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste

Cut off any fronds then cut the fennel in half and cut out the core.
Slice into 1/4 inch slices.  Place in (you guessed it) a parchment lined baking dish (I use a corning wear dish)
Sprinkle with olive oil
Place in a 350 oven (you can put it in with the chicken and the potatoes) and bake for 1 hour.
Pull out parchment and serve in the dish it baked in.