When I was growing up, my mom worked full-time—yet, without fail, she had a hot, homemade dinner on the table by 5:30 every single night. I still don’t know how she pulled that off. Seriously… cape, tights, the whole superhero package.
When I worked full-time, I cooked too—but not every night, and it was just for me and my roommate (aka my sister). She cooked a lot too, so we made it work. But Mom? She was next level. She always found a way to make something delicious with whatever was in the pantry. That stuck with me.
I hope my kids grow up remembering home-cooked meals the way I do—made with love and a little resourceful magic. That said… my kids? Picky. And yes, I’ve played short-order cook more times than I’d like to admit because I refuse to let them go hungry.
But this chicken? This recipe? A straight-up miracle. Every single one of my kids loves it. No whining, no trade-offs, no cereal fallback dinners. Just clean plates and happy faces.
And the best part? It’s only three ingredients.
Mrs. O’s Famous Cheez-It Chicken
You’ll need:
- 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1½ cups mayo
- 3½ cups Cheez-Its (crushed)
Instructions:
- Cut chicken breasts into 1½-inch strips.
- Crush Cheez-Its in a blender or food processor to your preferred crumb size.
- Add mayo to a bowl, stir in chicken strips until well-coated.
- Using a fork, pull out each strip, coat in Cheez-It crumbs, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (don’t skip the parchment—unless you enjoy chiseling chicken off a pan).
- Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, then flip and bake another 10–15 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Let cool for a few minutes and serve it up. I like to pair it with mashed potatoes, mac ‘n’ cheese, and green beans—because if we’re going for comfort food, let’s go for it.