Use Cheese Crackers For Flavorful, Crunchy Breaded Chicken

One guaranteed way to make any recipe 10 times more delicious?  Add cheese, of course. Think about it: Parmesan sprinkled over pasta dishes, cheddar on your morning eggs, extra cheese on takeout pizza — even cheesecake becomes more delicious when you use ricotta. So why not add crunchy, breaded chicken to the list, too? 

Any way to up the ante on this weeknight dinner staple intrigues us, but there's a method that is simple, tasty, and pretty convenient. While almonds and pecans are popular additions to pack a bit of protein and some crunch to your breaded chicken, crackers are also an excellent option, giving your dish a crust whose crunch rivals panko itself. But if you're looking for a fun, flavorful twist on your basic chicken parm — one that uses a snack you probably already have in your pantry — you have to try cheese cracker-breaded chicken.

You read that right! Cheez-Its (or whatever alternative brand you prefer) are a salty, nostalgic take on traditional chicken breading that offers the crispy texture you know you want and that bit of playfulness you might be missing — because cooking should be fun! Whether you are trying to feed your busy family an easy dinner, have got picky eaters at the table, or are just looking to switch up your classic breaded chicken dish, this is a combination everyone will love.

Once you have your cheese crackers (feel free to play around with flavors here: classic, white cheddar, toasted — you name it!), you'll add them to a plastic bag to crush or pulse them in your food processor until they're a fine, crumb consistency. Then simply follow your go-to breaded chicken recipe, swapping the pulverized crackers in for your usual breadcrumb of choice.

Serve the finished chicken with your favorite dipping sauce, over a salad, or even by themselves — because this cheesy breading swap makes them just that good.