Herb-crusted Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce... A deliciously easy weeknight dinner idea!
Perfectly seasoned chicken with a bit of crunch
This chicken breading is seasoned to pair nicely with the basil cream sauce. Just bread the chicken as you normally would and give it a quick cook in a skillet to really get a crisp outer layer that contrasts so nicely with the creamy sauce.
The not-so-secret sauce.
The sauce comes together really easily using leftover tidbits from cooking the chicken and the power of basil to really punch up the flavor.
There are so many options for cooking with basil now!
I recently discovered that you can get jarred fresh basil in the herb section at the grocery store.
Since my basil plants didn't do that well this year, this has come in handy to supplement my fresh -icked basil when a recipe, such as this one, calls for a boatload of basil.
Guys, let me just tell you there is nothing like the smell of fresh basil. And the taste is a billion times more flavorful than dried basil.
This past winter I brought my basil plant indoors and it did really well! I loved having the extra greenery in the house and if you have a cute pot, it doubles and home decor. I love the self-watering pots for herbs but really any pot will do.
The self-watering ones just come in handy if you are like me and forget to water them often or if you travel frequently.
Added Spice
What really brings everything together is this specific spice blend that I really like but it's a bit hard to find. McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic Bell Pepper. You can buy it on Amazon, or check your grocery store shelves. Here's what it looks like:
Tips for Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chicken
Breading your chicken using milk helps tenderize the chicken before you cook it leaving you with nothing but moist, tender bites of chicken.
Shopping for a cast iron skillet?
If you don't already own one, I highly recommend a cast iron skillet. Yes, they are heavy. No, they don't work well for cooking eggs. Lol! But they are great for cooking meats and creating sauces from the leftover flavor bits left on the skillet. They hold their heat and offer a nice even cooking surface for searing and cooking chicken, steak, pork, fish, etc. to perfection. Another reason I love cooking with a cast iron skillet is that it can go right into the oven. So if you need to keep something warm or want to bake the top of something to get a final crispy layer, then you can just pop the skillet right into the oven.
Shop cast iron skillets on Amazon
Adapted from a popular Pinterest recipe, with tweaks.
This is an adaption of an Herb Crusted Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce Pinterest recipe I experimented with. I altered it to simplify the ingredient list and also added a little heat! I also upped the amount of sauce so there's enough to cover the chicken and noodles.
Want to make this kid-friendly?
Have picky eaters? Serve the chicken and noodles separately and make the cream sauce option.
This homemade chicken dinner dish is done in about 30 minutes!
Want more easy dinner ideas?
Herb Crusted Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts pounded flat
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon garlic bell pepper seasoning
- ½ cup Italian bread crumbs
- 4 tablespoon butter divided
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pint half & half
- 2 chicken boullion cubes
- 4 oz pimentos, drained
- ½ cup Italian cheese mix
- ¼ cup fresh basil chiffonade
- Red pepper flakes to taste optional
- 4 cups cooked egg noodles
Instructions
- Place bread crumbs mixed with garlic bell pepper seasoning and milk in two separate bowls. Pound out chicken then dip in milk. Move to the bread crumb bowl and toss until thoroughly coated.
- In a large skillet, cook chicken in 4 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat about 5-7 minutes on each side depending on thickness of the chicken. Transfer chicken to a heated toaster oven if you have one or cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Using the same skillet, sauté garlic in remaining tablespoon butter for 1 minute. Add half & half and chicken bullion cubes, cheese mix, pimentos, basil, and red pepper flakes.. Bring to a boil and stir until well blended. Reduce heat and simmer for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve chicken over egg noodles topped with sauce.
Leave a Reply