Name: Cottage Cheese Parmesan Firecracker Chicken
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs; 1 cup cottage cheese; ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon onion powder; ½ teaspoon paprika; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon olive oil; ¼ cup hot sauce (such as Frank’s); 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional); chopped green onions; sesame seeds; fresh parsley

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 cup cottage cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Firecracker Sauce:

¼ cup hot sauce (such as Frank’s)
2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Optional Garnish:

chopped green onions
sesame seeds
fresh parsley

Instructions

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a baking dish or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2:

In a bowl, mix cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.

Step 3:

Coat each piece of chicken with the cottage cheese mixture and place them in the prepared baking dish.

Step 4:

Bake the chicken for 25–30 minutes until cooked through and lightly golden.

Step 5:

While the chicken bakes, whisk together hot sauce, honey, soy sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Brush or drizzle the sauce over the chicken during the last 5 minutes of baking.

Notes

Do not overbake the chicken. Cottage cheese helps keep the meat tender, but overcooking can dry it out.