Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Arugula Salad

This recipe is from Food and Wine magazine August 2003, another from my pile of clipped recipes.

Ingredients


1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme

Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/2 ounces)

4 cups packed arugula leaves

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

Preheat the oven to 475°. In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons of the mustard with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and the thyme. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then brush them all over with the mustard mixture. Pat 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan all over each breast. Transfer the chicken breasts to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the chicken on the top shelf of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until just cooked through and nicely browned.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the remaining 1 teaspoon each of mustard and olive oil; stir in 1/2 teaspoon of water. Add the arugula and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and toss well. Spoon the salad onto plates, top with the chicken and serve.