Pretzel and Parmesan Crusted Chicken

1 cup light olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 ½ teaspoons dried rosemary

1 teaspoon ground thyme

ground black pepper to taste

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

7 ounces hard sourdough pretzels

⅔ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Whisk together olive oil, minced garlic, basil, rosemary, thyme, and black pepper in a bowl.

Place chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of about 1 inch.

Transfer chicken breasts to the bowl with the olive oil marinade; cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Place pretzels and Parmesan cheese into a food processor; pulse until the pretzels are finely crushed and combined with cheese.

Mix in parsley and garlic powder by pulsing once or twice. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.

Remove chicken from the marinade, and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.

Press chicken into pretzel mixture, coating both sides.

Arrange coated chicken in a baking dish. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon additional pretzel mixture on top.

Bake chicken breasts in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Cover chicken with a foil tent and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.