Paprika Chicken Breasts with Rosemary

This makes for a very quick dinner. Buying chicken breasts with the skin ensures moist, juicy meat. We never actually eat the skin, but it makes such a difference in the end result.

4 boneless chicken breasts, skin-on
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
Black pepper
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika (pimenton de la vera)
8 large sprigs fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Place chicken breasts in a baking dish, skin side up. Pull the skin away from the meat and move it to the side without fully disconnecting it. Make a deep slit along the length of each breast. Rub the olive oil all over the chicken, then smear the minced garlic evenly over the breasts. Season with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, mix the paprikas with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Sprinkle the mixture into the slits then place two rosemary sprigs in each. Move the skin back over the top of the chicken breasts, then sprinkle the rest of the paprika mixture over the top.
Roast the chicken breasts in the oven for 30 minutes, or until just cooked through.
Quick Tips
1. It can be difficult to find boneless chicken breasts with skin. I can typically find them at Whole Foods.
2. Pimenton de la vera (smoked paprika) comes in a sweet variety as well as a hot variety. Use the sweet variety here. If your grocery store does not carry it, you can find it in a specialty cooking store such as Sur La Table.
3. The original recipe calls for bone-in chicken thighs. No matter how many times or how many ways I try them, I just don’t love chicken thighs. In fact, I don’t even like them! However, if you do, you can use the same preparation. You will need to add 10 to 15 minutes to the cooking time.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

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