Parmesan-Garlic Chicken with Roasted Potato Wedges is a quick and crowd-pleasing meal with lots of satisfying flavor.
Hey you!
It’s been a fun little weekend ’round these parts! Knowing I’ve been dying to get out of the house lately, Ben suggested we do a couple of fun activities like catching a movie on Friday night. I chose Identity Thief with high hopes, but gave the popcorn we bought to crunch on one more buttery thumb up than the movie. The first 1/3 was kind of slow but eventually picked up a bit.
That said, I’d watch Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy in anything. They crack me UP! (Almost as much as this guy…)
Saturday morning Ben came in from shoveling snow mid-morning and proclaimed – I’m takin’ you to Hickory Park for lunch! WHEE!
Hickory Park is one of our favorite restaurants to visit whenever we feel like doing something out of the ordinary. It’s a BBQ joint in Ames, IA, about 40 minutes north, also home to Iowa State University where Ben went to college.
We started dating our senior year in college, and whenever I’d drive in from Cedar Falls, where I went to school at the University of Northern Iowa, we’d always try and squeeze in a trip to the massive restaurant that serves up the best BBQ and homestyle food in the area.
The atmosphere is so much fun – part smokehouse, part 1875 General Store!
Our hunger levels reached thier peak as we drove in, so we each ordered a cup of soup promptly after sitting down. Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup for her, and a cup o’ Chili for him. Mine was extra thick. Just the way I like my tortilla soup!
Whenever we go to HP I tell myself I’m going to try something new, but I always go back to my staple – the Saucy Southerner. Chopped hickory-smoked pork, turkey, and beef smothered in BBQ sauce served with your choice of side.
Whabam!
You can never go wrong with this baby. My mouth is totally watering at the memory…
Ben also fell victim to routine and ordered his favorite, Smoked Turkey with Mashed Potatoes. Served on a serious platter.
Perfect lunch!
Afterwards we cruised around town a bit, past Ben’s old dorm, apartments, and some of our old haunts. Its crazy how quickly bars go in and out of college towns. We only recognized a few places!
It was a beautiful day so we took the scenic, back-roads home. Gosh the sunlight felt good!
Today we got up then hit the gym and grocery store before stopping at Panera for a quick lunch. Chicken & Wild Rice Soup with an apple for me, per usual!
My Mom came over for a bit this afternoon to chat, then I whipped up a super-easy dinner of Parmesan-Garlic Chicken with Roasted Potato Wedges for dinner. This dish takes just 10 minutes to prep then bakes for 35 minutes total – both the chicken and potatoes at the same temperature. Goes from the fridge to the table in a snap.
You can dress it up a ton of different ways too. I served my chicken sliced and on a bed of baby spinach, but you could top the baked parmesan-garlic chicken with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese then broil for a few minutes for easy Chicken Parmesan. Switch up the spices on the potato wedges to have anything from tex-mex to ranch potatoes!
Start with the Roasted Potato Wedges. First slice 2 russet potatoes in quarters, then each quarter into 2 or 3 wedges. You’ll want them to be about 1″ thick.
Place the wedges into a bowl then toss with 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, lots of salt and pepper, and then place the wedges on a nonstick-sprayed baking sheet and bake at 400 degree for 15 minutes.
While the potatoes are roasting, brush 2 chicken breasts on both sides with extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and then place onto a nonstick-sprayed baking sheet.
Mix up a yummy, flavorful concoction of 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, then smear it over the top.
Take the potato wedges out and then flip, then place both the potatoes and chicken back into the oven for 20 minutes. Top the hot potato wedges with a sprinkle of more parmesan cheese, and then dinner’s done!
Parmesan-Garlic Chicken with Roasted Potato Wedges
Description
Parmesan-Garlic Chicken with Roasted Potato Wedges is a quick and crowd-pleasing meal with lots of satisfying flavor.
Ingredients
- For the Roasted Potato Wedges:
- 2 small russet potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- For the Parmesan-Garlic Chicken:
- 2 chicken breasts
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry potatoes then cut into quarters. Cut each quarter into two or three 1" wedges then place into a bowl. Add oil, salt, and pepper, toss to coat, then place onto a foil-lined, nonstick-sprayed baking sheet and roast for 35 minutes, flipping half way through.
- Brush chicken breasts on both sides with oil then season with salt and pepper. Place onto a nonstick-sprayed baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine parmesan cheese, garlic cloves, and oil then spread evenly on top of both chicken breasts. Roast for 20 minutes with potatoes.
- Remove chicken and potatoes then sprinkle 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese on top of hot potatoes and then serve.
Notes
Potato Wedges adapted from Jenna Weber
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I seriously need to bake my chicken more often. It comes out so tender, moist, and juicy. The golden, parmesan-garlic crust was perfection on top too. Bursting with flavor!
My favorite was definitely the roasted potato wedges – Ben went nuts for ’em! So easy, too.
YUM.
Well I hope you had a wonderful weekend too, friends! Off to wind down with some Oscar fashions before the start of a crazy week. See ya’!
Your potatoes look wonderful!! I can never get mine to turn out as crispy as yours look so I’m anxious to try your recipe. The chicken looks yummy too!
Wow, Sips and Paddys are still there… It’s been forever since I have been back to Ames (like since 2002, when i graduated, noe i feel old!) thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Those ‘taters look perfect!
Wow! What a great weekend! I’m having total food envy! (And proximity envy. We just moved to a town that seems to be four hours from everything.)
ah that makes me homesick for college. I miss that town! But you’re right, so much has changed since then!
I agree, Molly! Love reading this blog from Memphis – a little taste of home :) I miss you, Ames and Hickory Park.
The Saucy Southerner is my favorite too. Good call!
Did you have a sundae at Hickory Park? So.many.choices.
My husband and I were just talking about Hickory Park yesterday. We have only been there once (it is over an hour away), totally worth the drive.
This meal looks so good, I might make it this week!
I am making both the chicken and taters this week! My kid is hating chicken, she is so tired of it! Thanks for quick and easy idea!
The Blue Bunny makes me laugh…I am orig from SD (not San Diego) and my step dad worked for BB for YEARS.
The wedges look perfectly crispy! Now I might go make some…thanks for the idea!
That looks so delicious! :)
Love Hickory Park. I grew up in Story City and it was such a treat to go into Ames to the HP and get a sundae – my fav was the salted nut roll. I need to get back there this summer!
That food looks delish! Ames is where my nephew used to live. He is a member of the band called The Poison Control Center.
I thought I recognized those potato wedges from ELR. They look yummy! I want to see the movie with Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock, it looks freakin hilarious! Almost as funny as Ben stuffing his face with popcorn, lol.
Finding a great BBQ place like that takes some skill. I grew up in Texas and I’m still convinced that nobody can smoke a brisket like my dad. Who I have forgiven for convincing me that brisket was the meat of some strange bird. I believed this until I was 20… maybe I shouldn’t confess that in public.
Your photography makes me feel like I am right there enjoying the meal with you. Graduated from ISU in ’68 and haven’t been back since so looks like I missed a good eating place by a couple of years.
What a fun weekend! That BBQ sandwich looks in-sane. I’ve gotta make some potato wedges like this soon, they look so perfectly crisp!
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Just wanted to say thank you for posting pictures of Iowa! The snowy country view makes me miss Iowa so much! Once an Iowa girl…always an Iowa girl.
Love your blog for many reasons
Thanks again!
Our kids went to ISU, and we always ate at Hickory Park when we were in Ames. I could never order anything but the Sassy Southern either. Why mess with perfection? Mmmmm, now I am really craving BBQ.
I love the pics from around Ames — great memories!! Thanks for sharing :)
Mmmm Hickory Park. My 2nd favorite restaurant in Ames (Dublin Bay is my favorite). It is always so weird when I visit Ames as so much has changed and there has been so much growth.
I have been a big fan of your blog for a long time! Love the cooking, love the writing, love the photos. I am so guilty of reading and not commenting, but I had to today. I went to ISU and loved seeing your shots around town. Always enjoy catching up on your site! Thank you!
LOVE Hickory Park! It’s been a minutes since we’ve traveled north for that deliciousness! I *always* order the saucy southerner, too! I want to try more of the menu but just can’t stray from my favorite!
Iowa State alum here, married to a Kansas Stater. I was just telling my hubs about Hickory Park yesterday, and how flipping amazing that place is!
Glad to see Paddy’s and Sips are still around. Is Cy’s still there?? MANY afternoons may or may not have been spent FACing at said establishments. :)
It is!! I was glad to see it was still around too. ;)
Another ISU alum here and Hickory Park fanatic! So many memories of eating there during college with friends & visiting family. The saucy southerner is SO delish and I wish I could go to HP right now for dinner. Since we live in AZ now I’ll have to stick with your photos. Thanks for the memory lane trip. :)
I am ALLLL about these potato wedges. They look so good and perfectly crispy! Just how I like them :).
Another proud ISU alum! I love going back (generally three-four times/year) to visit the campus, catch a game, and we finally stopped at Hickory Park on our last trip in November. You can’t go there without a sundae. That places brings back so many memories.
Yes to Hickory Park and YES emphatically to the Saucy Southerner! Miss & I love it so much that we served HP for our wedding reception dinner :-D Don’t sleep on their mashed potatoes, either…that gravy is unbeatable.
Ahhh – you guys are brilliant! Love it!
I’ve been to Hickory Park once and it was DELISH! I couldn’t believe how huge that place is. That candy counter was soooo tempting!
That chicken looks amazing!
Those potatoes look SO deliciously crispy! Ok I need to get home and make some…
We love Hickory Park my daughter went to ISU and it quickly became a favorite..unfortunately we live 3 and 1/2 hours away, but we always look for a reason to get there!
I am so happy to see you came to Ames! As an avid follower of your blog and ISU student, I would have freaked if I would have seen you driving around campus! :) Come back soon!
I should have an Iowa Girl Eats board on my Pinterest because I pin ALL of your recipes! Love them! My boyfriend and I just moved in together, and he LOVES chicken. I can take it or leave it. So I’ve been making a lot of your recipes and I always love them! This one will be the next we try for sure. We made that Beer and Honey chicken from your Friday Favorites last week, seriously so good! If you haven’t made it yet, you should!
Hickory Park – I love that place! I grew up in Ames and worked at HP for awhile. One nice thing about working there is you did so much running around during your shift, I never gained a pound while working there – and I am addicted to their cheeseballs! :) Oh, and SIPS! So many good memroies at that place!
All I have to say is $4.95 for a sandwich and side?! UNREAL! Looks amazingly delicious!
How do you place 2 baking sheets in the oven to roast at the same time?–do you put the taters on the bottom rack, or the chicken? I’m afraid one will burn…
I put them side by side on the middle rack!
[…] one last NEW recipe: Parmesan-Garlic Chicken with Roasted Potato Wedges. The garlic chunks on this chicken just look simply […]
So do the wedges have any parmesan or anything topping them before they cook?
Nope, just afterwards!
I made this on Monday night. Quick, Easy, Delicious! Great weeknight dinner. Thank you!
I also made this on Monday and loved it. I’m a long time reader but first time commenter. Your blog is one of my favorites for recipes. I scroll through and not only does everything look amazing and fresh, but I also feel like I can make everything too! Many other blogs have ridiculously complicated recipes with expensive ingredients and fancy equipment. Thank you! Keep it up!
Thanks so much for the nice feedback, Jessica! I really appreciate it!
I didn’t have any evoo so i had to use vegetable oil and it came out fabulous!!! Those potatoes are so good! the chicken was amazng as well. It came out very tender and i love that! Will make this again
[…] by a professional! Nothing says spring like a bright coat of polish on the nails! 2. I made parmesan-garlic chicken and roasted potato wedges with asparagus for dinner this week. And WHOA, was it good! I mean the chicken was so moist and […]
[…] last part of the trip–how awesome was that!!!}. Kristin over at IowaGirlEats had whipped up this post while we were on the road and it pretty much had me wanting some BBQ for the rest of the trip. […]
I made both the chicken and potato wedges tonight, and ohmygosh they are both the best! The chicken is so simple to make, I can see it becoming a regular here for us. And the potatoes…never again will I think it will be hard to make wedges! I served both alongside almond sauteed green beans and fruit salad. Thank you for awesome recipes :)
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[…] have also had great luck with several of the new recipes I have tried. Among my favorites are this Parmesan Garlic Chicken and Potato Wedges recipe, this Cowboy Chicken recipe and this Balsamic Slow Cooker Chicken recipe. YUM! We eat a lot of […]
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