Pecorino Crusted Chicken with Mixed Greens Salad - Ready in 30 Minutes

This pecorino-crusted chicken with mixed baby green salad is the perfect Sunday night dinner. It’s easy and super delicious every time.

Chicken is a versatile and fantastic ingredient that can be prepared in many ways. An open free canva to the chef. Your imagination can go wild and create a masterpiece each time.

Pecorino Crusted Chicken with Baby Green SaladPhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

This pecorino-crusted chicken is one of those recipes where there is no limit to your cooking.

Easy to assemble, with a handful of ingredients, mostly all in your pantry, you can have dinner on your table in less than 30 minutes. Who does not like that on a busy school night?

Yes! Skinless chicken

If you have been following me for a while, you may have noticed that most of my chicken recipes have their skin on. I am taking enough grief every time I post one, but the response is simple, the skin is a protective barrier between the soft flesh and burning it.

With this recipe, rejoice—the skin is gone. Yes, it is. That is because you will have to create a crust of pecorino and gruyere cheese, protective of your skin’s soft flesh.

By using boneless chicken, ask your butcher to remove the bones from the thighs for you. This will shorten your cooking or baking process as the piece of thigh is super thin and will cook faster.

Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed to make your pecorino-crusted chicken

Dijon mustard – to spread over your skinless chicken

Olive oil – to use in conjunction with the mustard to soften the flavor and add moisture to your chicken flesh

Fresh thyme leaves – the best herb to use with chicken, not overpowering and so savory

Chicken thighs, skinless and boneless – the best for this recipe as the cheese is the barrier to your chicken and the boneless part help in the cooking process.

Pecorino cheese – tangy and salty, adds lots of flavor to this dish

Gruyere cheese – melting and rich in flavor, another great addition to your chicken

Water – helps dilute the punginess of your mustard dressing.

Mixed baby greens – salad mix that has so many beautiful types of salad to enjoy

Cherry tomatoes – perfect to cut in half and remain intact.

Olive oil – for your salad dressing

Salt and pepper – your chicken and salad seasoning

Step-by-step instructions on how to make this delicious cheese-crusted chicken

his recipe is quite simple to prepare. With all my recipes, please assemble all the ingredients before starting cooking and baking.

Start with the boneless chicken.

• Whisk together the mustard and olive oil with the thyme.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then brush the mustard.
• Mix the pecorino and gruyere cheese and pat two tablespoons over each chicken thighs.
• Transfer the chicken to a rimmed ovenproof dish you will have covered with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the hot oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or according to your oven settings and altitude, until cooked through and nicely browned.

Meanwhile, prepare your mixed green salad.

• Combine the remaining olive oil with the mustard and mix until well diluted and a creamy sauce is formed.
• Add your salad and tomatoes halved and toss well.

Assemble your dish by

• Spoon your salad over your plate and top with the chicken.
• Serve immediately.

Pecorino Crusted Chicken with Mixed Green SaladPhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

Ingredients needed to make your Pecorino Crusted Chicken with Baby Green Salad

FOR THE PECORINO CRUSTED CHICKEN

• 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 8 chicken thighs, skinless, boneless
• ½ cup pecorino cheese, grated
• ¼ cup Gruyere cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper, to seasoning

FOR THE MIXED BABAY GREEN SALAD

• ½ teaspoon water
• 4 cups mixed baby greens
• 1½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved cherry
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 475°. In a small bowl, whisk 2 teaspoons of the mustard with 2 teaspoons Of the olive oil and they thyme. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then brush with the mustard mixture all over.
• Pat 2 tablespoons of the pecorino and Gruyère cheese mixture all over the chicken thighs.
• Transfer the chicken to a rimmed lined with aluminum foil baking sheet.
• Bake the chicken on the top shelf of the oven for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until cooked thru and nicely browned.
• In a bowl combine the remaining olive oil and mustard and stir in the water.
• Add the mixed baby green and the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and toss well.
• Spoon the salad onto plates, top with chicken and serve

What dishes can you enjoy with these skinless chicken thighs?

Since this is already a meal in itself, I would recommend starting with an appetizer such as Melon and Prosciutto

End your meal with a fantastic dessert such as this, which is extremely easy and has only three ingredients: Blueberry Delight.

If you enjoy this recipe of pecorino-crusted chicken, you may want to try my other recipes:

Mushroom Chicken – A French Classic

Tomato Arugula Salad

Arugula Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

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Meet Chef Giangi

Pecorino Crusted Chicken with Mixed Green SaladPhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

I am a passionate cook, recipe developer, author, and food photographer with 14 years of food blogging experience. Inspired by my French and Italian heritage, I work with other chefs, both foreign and domestic, and have had countless discussions with chefs at famous restaurants globally. I enjoy sharing these creative culinary delights in simple, straightforward, easy-to-understand recipes.

I only recommend the products that I love and use. This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.