Summer days call for an arsenal of easy meals that come together quickly without too much fuss.

I love to cook and to work in the kitchen, any regular friend here knows that, of course. But summertime isn’t when you want to be stuck in the kitchen for a long time before dinner.

Most days around dinner time at our house in the summer, I’m either tired from being active and in the sun all afternoon, or simply would rather be enjoying the evening with our kids instead of preparing a complicated meal.

Know what I mean?

Keeping things simple in the summer is winning.

This past Saturday, I was physically and mentally spent from spending a few hours at the pool with my kids during the afternoon. While I’m hoping that my youngest will soon take to the water, for now, her float terrifies her and getting splashed aggravates her, both of which leave me holding her almost the entire time.

So when 5:30 came around and everyone was starting to clamor either for dinner or to be fed more snacks, I was thankful for the easiness of this chicken dish.

It’s one I’ve made many, many times before and only requires about five minutes of prep before being placed in the oven to cook. Plus, it’s a favorite of everyone’s so I know that I’m not going to have to cajole anyone to finish their dinner.

Well, actually, my daughter currently requires a cheering section to finish her food, but that’s another story for another post.

Made with staple pantry ingredients, it’s sure to become a regular at your home too. Pair it with a couple fresh vegetables or some comforting macaroni and cheese like we did to make it a meal all will love.

Here’s to enjoying more of summer outside of our kitchens!

Want more quick and easy summer dinner ideas? Check out these simple dishes too!

• 30 Minute Chicken Parmesan
• Sheet Pan Nachos
• Copycat Zoe’s Kitchen
• 30 Minute Fried Rice

Almond & Parmesan Crusted Chicken

**Inspired by and adapted from Cook’s Illustrated**

Ingredient List

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 C sliced or chopped almonds
• 1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 C Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
• kosher salt
• 2 tsp dried basil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Pat each chicken breast dry with a clean paper towel. Place in a baking dish. (I like to use a square glass Pyrex). Sprinkle a pinch of salt on each chicken breast.

3. In a small bowl, combine the almonds, Parmesan, Panko breadcrumbs, and garlic. Toss with a fork to mix.  Spoon 1 tablespoon yogurt on each chicken breast and spread evenly across the top. Sprinkle the basil on top of the yogurt, and then evenly divide the crumb coating on each piece of chicken, pressing slightly as you spread it to help it adhere to the yogurt layer. It’s okay if some of the topping falls down the sides of the chicken– more crunchy goodness later on.

4. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes in the preheated oven,  loosely covering with a layer of foil to prevent the top from over browning after about 15 minutes. Check the chicken for doneness. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes if additional time is needed.

What is one easy meal you’ve enjoyed this summer?