That is the best way I can describe dinner tonight! Oh, I guess that is besides damn tasty!

Smothered Chicken Popper and Zucchini Sticks. This is definitely a must try. I shouldn’t have to twist you arm too hard because besides it being tasty, it is also super simple!
There was only one thing that could make this dinner even better. Whit’s Frozen Custard! Woot Woot. It was a new and super tasty experience for me! My husband suprised us with an after dinner trip and it was too good to resist.

Here is how to make the zucchini spears. If you are going to make both dishes, start with the zucchini so that the raw chicken doesn’t ruin your meal, and perhaps your week.

zucchini
panko (I highly recommend the Parmesan Herb)
marinara sauce
egg
grated parmesan (1/2 cup)
spray oil

1. Chop zucchini into sticks.

2. Beat an egg (I highly recommend whole egg and not just egg whites) in a shallow dish. Combine breadcrumb and grated parmesan in a second shallow dish.

3. Dip entire zucchini stick into egg and light shake loose excess egg from stick. Then coat stick in panko/parmesan mixture.

4. Arrange sticks in single layer on sprayed cookie sheet. Continue until all sticks are coated. VERY important, spritz top of coating with oil or else coating will not get a nice golden color to it.

5. Bake at 425 for about 25 minutes. Flip and spray other side with oil, cook or about 5 more minutes or until both sides are golden brown. Serve with marinara.

I had decided early on to do some sort of popper-chicken combo. When I had leftover egg and crumb I decided to coat my chicken breast before cooking.

For Smothered Chicken Popper, you will need:
chicken breast
egg (or leftover if you made zucchini sticks)
panko
grated parmesan
cream cheese
cheddar cheese
jalepeño

1. Prepare and bread chicken as you did zucchini sticks. Remember to spritz with oil before baking.
2. Cook chicken at 425 for about 30 minutes or until inside reaches appropriate internal temperature.
3. Top cooked chicken with a smear of cream cheese, then cheddar finally add a few pieces of jalepeño. Cook for about 5 more minutes or until cheese is melty.
4. Serve. I had red pepper jelly on hand which made a great dipping sauce!

Enjoy!