Cheddar and Cracker Chicken

I love Ritz crackers and I tend to eat them by themselves as a snack.  When I found this recipe online, I knew that it was right up my alley.  It really turned out well and it made a simple meal taste like it had taken a lot longer to prepare.  The only thing I would do differently and use smaller chicken breasts because even though I pounded the breasts until they were pretty thin, the cooking time still took a lot longer and the cheese was a little overcooked.  Still a really good meal!

Source:  Joelen's Culinary Adventures, adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients:

16 buttery crackers (such as Ritz), crushed (about 3⁄4 cup)
6 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1-2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Heat oven to 350° F. In a bowl, combine the crackers, cheese, garlic, scallions and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Pound the chicken to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thickeness with a meat mallet. Dip the pounded chicken in the butter, then in the cracker mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Sprinkle any remaining cracker mixture on the chicken and drizzle with any remaining butter. Bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.  (Mine took almost 30)