The story behind the creation of the Everything Bagel is basically the same, despite there being a few different people claiming to be the originator. Bakeries that made a variety of bagels often had the various toppings mixed together at the end of the day. At first, the blended toppings were considered unusable waste and thrown away. Eventually, someone in the bakery decided to use that mixture of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion, and salt as a bagel topping in its own right and named it the Everything Bagel. Its popularity was instantaneous.

Since the creation of that bagel topping around 1980, the popularity of the seasoning blend has grown. It is being incorporated into both savory & sweet dishes at restaurants, and the seasoning blend can be found at most grocery stores. My first foray into the Everything craze is a chicken dish. But instead of buying the blend premixed, I searched for the correct proportions to make it since I had all the ingredients needed already in my spice cabinet. Both versions work well in the recipe.

Everything Bagel Seasoning (adapted from thekitchen.com)

Makes just over 1/4 cup of seasoning

• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon dried minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt

Instructions:

Heat a small, dry frying pan over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds to the hot pan and stir them with a wooden spoon or a heat-proof spatula. As soon as the sesame seeds start getting light golden brown in color, remove the pan from the stove.

Allow the seeds to cool. In a small bowl, combine the seeds with all the other seasoning ingredients, mixing them together well. Store any leftover seasoning in an airtight jar and store the jar at room temperature.

Mix the ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Everything Bagel Chicken with Scallion Cream Cheese Sauce

Everything Bagel Chicken with Scallion Cream Cheese Sauce (adapted from 40aprons.com) Prep Time: 10 minutes,  Cook Time: 30 minutes,  Total Time: 40 minutes, Makes 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients:

Everything Bagel Chicken

• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• 4 medium chicken breasts
• salt
• 1/4 cup Everything Bagel Seasoning

Scallion Cream Cheese Sauce

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon Everything Bagel Seasoning
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons (about 4-5) chopped scallions
• 1/4 cup half-and-half

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Place each breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1″ thickness. Cut each breast into two pieces if desired. Place the chicken breasts in a 9×13 baking dish. Using a pastry brush, brush the surface of each piece of chicken with some butter, then sprinkle them with a pinch of salt. (Not much salt is needed as the Everything Bagel Seasoning has salt in it.)

Brush the chicken with the melted butter.

Sprinkle the surface of the pieces with half of the Everything Bagel Seasoning. Use tongs to carefully flip over the chicken breasts. Brush the tops with the remaining butter, sprinkle with a bit of the salt, then the remaining Everything Bagel Seasoning. Bake the chicken at 400ºF for 25-35 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165ºF is reached.

Sprinkle the pieces with everything bagel spice

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. Melt the tablespoon of butter in a small bowl. Place the cream cheese, Everything Bagel Seasoning, scallions, and half-and-half in the cup of a wand blender. Add the melted butter and process until a smooth sauce forms. (Alternately, whisk the ingredients together by hand or combine them in a small food processor.)

Combine the ingredients for the sauce.

When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. Serve the chicken with plenty of scallion cream cheese sauce.

Top the chicken with the scallion sauce to serve.

This seasoning is not just for bagels anymore!  ~Linda

Everything Bagel Seasoning (adapted from thekitchen.com) Makes just over 1/4 cup of seasoning

• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon dried minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt

Instructions:

Heat a small, dry frying pan over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds to the hot pan and stir them with a wooden spoon or a heat-proof spatula. As soon as the sesame seeds start getting light golden brown in color, remove the pan from the stove.

Allow the seeds to cool. In a small bowl, combine the seeds with all the other seasoning ingredients, mixing them together well.

Everything Bagel Chicken with Scallion Cream Cheese Sauce (adapted from 40aprons.com) Prep Time: 10 minutes,  Cook Time: 30 minutes,  Total Time: 40 minutes, Makes 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients:

Everything Bagel Chicken

• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• 4 medium chicken breasts
• salt
• 1/4 cup Everything Bagel Seasoning

Scallion Cream Cheese Sauce

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon Everything Bagel Seasoning
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons (about 4-5) chopped scallions
• 1/4 cup half-and-half

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Place each breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1″ thickness. Cut each breast into two pieces if desired. Place the chicken breasts in a 9×13 baking dish. Using a pastry brush, brush the surface of each piece of chicken with some butter, then sprinkle them with a pinch of salt. (Not much salt is needed as the Everything Bagel Seasoning has salt in it.)

Sprinkle the surface of the pieces with half of the Everything Bagel Seasoning. Use tongs to carefully flip over the chicken breasts. Brush the tops with the remaining butter, sprinkle with a bit of the salt, then the remaining Everything Bagel Seasoning. Bake the chicken at 400ºF for 25-35 minutes or until an internal temperature of 160ºF is reached.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. Melt the tablespoon of butter in a small bowl. Place the cream cheese, Everything Bagel Seasoning, scallions, and half-and-half in the cup of a wand blender. Add the melted butter and process until a smooth sauce forms. (Alternately, whisk the ingredients together by hand or combine them in a small food processor.)

When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. Serve the chicken with plenty of scallion cream cheese sauce.