Parmesan Crusted Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce
Parmesan Crusted Chicken takes on a whole new flavor when topped with this creamy basil sauce. Whenever we are having company over for dinner for the first time, this recipe is right at the top of the “impress our guests” list! Tender chicken breasts are pan crusted with Italian bread crumbs, browned to perfection. The basil cream sauce is mixed with tons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and poured over the top. Serve with pasta and a green salad and you have a dinner your guests will be talking about!
Tips for the Perfect Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Thinner chicken breasts work best for this recipe. I always pound my chicken to about a quarter to a half inch thick. This ensures even cooking throughout without burning the outside crust.
- Add your butter to a screaming hot pan. Make sure that pan is super hot before adding your chicken. This will give your chicken that nice golden crust on the outside.
- You can also fry up your chicken in a little extra virgin olive oil.
- After removing the chicken from the pan, de-glaze your pan with a little bit of chicken stock or broth. You want all those bits of browned crust for your sauce. YUM!
- You can use fresh or dried basil in the sauce, either will work.
- If you can, try to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese in the sauce. It melts beautifully and gives the sauce a nutty, salty flavor that pairs perfectly with the chicken.
What to Serve with Parmesan Crusted Chicken
A simple green salad and bread is delightful with this recipe, but try a few of our favorite side dishes for a show-stopping meal.
- Best Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Oven Roasted Green Beans
- Parmesan Garlic Grilled Potatoes
- Perfect Mashed Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Vegetables
More Impress Your Guests Dinner Ideas
You can never go wrong with a good chicken dinner. From a busy weeknight to a weekend get together with friends or family, try our tried true Ten Best Chicken Recipes of 2019 or our BEST Chicken Breast Recipes for ANY Night of the Week! Here are a few more meals that are guaranteed to impress your guests:
- Sunday Pot Roast (Instant Pot Recipe)
- One Pot Creamy Garlic Noodles
- Easy Cheesy Manicotti
- Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
- Easy Crock Pot Pork Chops
How to Make Parmesan Crusted Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 4 chicken breasts cut into halves (8 pieces total)
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Optional: I like to pound and flatten the chicken out a little so it cooks evenly throughout.
- Place milk and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls.
- Dip chicken in milk, then coat with crumbs.
- In a skillet over medium heat cook chicken in butter until browned on both sides.
- Remove chicken from skillet and keep in a 9x13 pan in the oven on warm.
- Add chicken broth to skillet and stir to loosen up browned bits from pan.
- Stir in cream, basil, and pepper and bring to a boil.
- Turn heat to low and whisk in parmesan cheese.
- Pour sauce over the chicken and serve.
How It All Began... says
September 30, 2011 at 12:50 pmMy family devoured this and complained that I hadn't made more. Thanks! Glad I found you!
Kristen says
October 3, 2011 at 12:46 amHave you tried using butter instead of margarine?
Lorraine says
September 20, 2012 at 12:19 pmWhat can I substitute for the cheese or can I just leave it out?
Emily says
September 20, 2012 at 10:34 pmIt would alter the recipe significantly to leave it out. That is a main part of the sauce. You could try substituting cream cheese or skinny cows if you are wanting a lower calorie version.
Nana101 says
June 13, 2016 at 8:51 amIn the directions is says butter….I’d use butter!! 🙂
Erica says
October 3, 2011 at 1:05 am@ Kristen – I have.. and it is wonderful 🙂
Kari says
October 3, 2011 at 4:31 pmYUM! Made this last night and can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch!! We LOVED it!!
moonlightstarcafe.com says
October 12, 2011 at 6:24 pmLooks yummy! I will definitely have to make this. Great blog and I am happy to be a new follower 🙂
moonlightstarcafe.com says
October 12, 2011 at 6:25 pmLooks yummy! I will definitely have to make this. Great blog and I am happy to be a new follower 🙂
Erica says
October 12, 2011 at 6:33 pm@ Moonlightstarcafe–
Thanks! We are happy that you are a new follower too!
Becki Jacobs says
October 14, 2011 at 11:32 amThis looks delish! The cream sauce looks very elegant on top of the breaded chicken breast. This is a great dish to serve to company – I bet it would be impressive.
Jenn says
October 21, 2011 at 4:17 pmThis was so good! I served it over spinach al dente noodles and it was delish!
The Daily Smash says
November 15, 2011 at 4:42 amI made this tonight for dinner with angel hair pasta. It was so good the family loved it. Great simple dish that looks so fancy. I will link it to you on my blog when I post it. Thanks for the recipe.
http://www.thedailysmash101.blogspot.com
Carlie says
December 29, 2011 at 2:40 amI just made this for my husband and two boys. We all loved it! Thanks for the great recipe. Btw, found you on Pinterest.
Allisha says
January 23, 2012 at 2:09 amI made this for dinner tonight and it was DELICIOUS! I didn't have whipping cream so I just used 1 cup of milk in the sauce. It tasted really good! I can just imagine how amazing it tastes made with whipping cream. I can't wait to make this again!
Chae says
March 2, 2012 at 1:02 pmThis is a favorite dish in our home now. Even my pickey eaters devour it. Its pretty easy and taste like a million dollars. Thank you so much.
Ovella Turner says
March 18, 2012 at 4:46 pmCan’t wait to try this..all thr recipes I have read sounds so good..glad I found you new to this
Chris Mott says
May 21, 2012 at 5:58 amI made this over the weekend. It was a hit with everyone, Said I could make it anytime. Easy to follow directions 🙂
PATSNYC says
May 26, 2012 at 5:31 amI subsstituted bread crumbs with ground pecans. I also used butter instead of the margarine. This was delicious. Everyone loved it. Will certainly make it again.
Cory Elvidge says
August 9, 2012 at 11:59 amAnother fabulous recipe! Thank you so much. We really enjoyed this one 🙂
EllisorTX says
August 25, 2012 at 12:29 pmHave made this a few times with roaring success! Fantastic recipe. The only thing we do different is serve it over Fettuccine noodles. The sauce is phenomenal for it!
Rachel says
October 30, 2012 at 9:36 amI need to try this – looks very yummy!! I make meatballs in cream sauce that I LOVE!!!
Nice blog with great recipes!!
Kristie T says
December 1, 2012 at 9:05 amMade this for a family gathering. It was a hit! Thanks
Pat says
March 4, 2013 at 10:54 amCould the chicken be baked in stead of fried, making i easier for a company dish.
Emily says
March 4, 2013 at 11:28 amI’m sure that would be really good!
Sheena says
March 15, 2013 at 5:55 pmThis is my absolute FAVORITE dish! But I need to run 10 miles afterwards or I’ll gain so much weight! Lol I can’t get enough of it!
Jennifer says
April 6, 2013 at 11:52 amThis is fantastic. I’ve made it probably three or four times now. I have to admit that adding garlic takes this to an entirely new place! So delicious.
Mike says
July 3, 2013 at 7:03 amWhat can I add to regular Panko bread crums to make them “Italian bread crumbs”?
Emily says
July 3, 2013 at 8:20 amItalian seasoning. 🙂 you can actually find it already mixed. Or sometimes I just add dried basil, oregano, and parsley to taste.
Mike says
July 3, 2013 at 9:51 amI have a lot of Panko left over & wanted to use it up! Thanks Emily!
Talia says
July 31, 2013 at 9:53 amI made this last night. In lieu of the whipping cream, I used greek yogurt (its pretty much my go-to substitution for any cream of any type) and i thought it was DELICIOUS that way. It probably doesnt have the same flavor as was intended with the original recipe but YUM! Rave reviews! Definitely making this again.
Emily says
August 1, 2013 at 8:26 pmI will have to try that, this is one of my favorites so a lightened up version would be good!
Jackie Watkins says
October 24, 2013 at 5:24 pmOh, my stars. This is as wonderful and delicious as I thought it would be when I read the recipe. Such an elegant, yet easy dish. This is going into the regular dinner rotation.
Erica says
October 25, 2013 at 8:39 amYay! So glad you liked it! It is definitely one of my very favorites too!
Kathy Bruner says
November 11, 2013 at 6:36 pmMade this chicken dish for dinner tonight, it was delicious! The chicken was so tender, my husband LOVED IT! Many thanks!
Linda says
April 16, 2014 at 7:17 pmCan I make this with thighs instead? My family doesn’t care for chicken breasts. Obviously I couldn’t pound them though.
Erica says
April 17, 2014 at 11:55 amWe have never tried it with thighs, let us know if you try it and how it turns out!
Traci says
September 15, 2014 at 12:24 pmCan’t wait to try the recipe, but can you please clarify if you cook the chicken all the way through in the skillet? The instructions say to just “brown it on both sides”. Thanks!
Echo says
September 15, 2014 at 12:54 pmYes, the chicken cooks in the skillet and is just kept warm in the oven while you make the sauce. I like to place each chicken breast between two pieces of wax paper and pound with a mallet so the chicken breasts are all about the same thickness before I cook it in the skillet or fry pan. As you brown it on both sides on medium, the chicken will cook thoroughly. Thank you for your question and for visiting our site!
Tiffany says
September 29, 2014 at 9:54 amI made this for my family and they all loved it! Thanks for the great recipe!
Baltisraul says
October 28, 2014 at 6:34 amI made last night and topped fried chicken with sauce. It was great. Gravy (sauce) over fried chicken is an old Southern tradition and this is a nice alternative to chicken gravy. Next time I will try over boneless-skinless chicken thighs.
Emma Jane says
March 4, 2015 at 1:30 pmI added a teaspoon of flour to thicken it up. I also added chopped mushrooms to the sauce and boiled it for a few minutes to cook them. I served it with French green beans and some ‘sauce-dippin’ bread.’ Both the chicken and sauce were outstanding! My new boyfriend loved it! The best way to a man’s heart…LOL.
Echo says
March 4, 2015 at 3:18 pmAbsolutely! Thank you for the tips and serving suggestions. I’m so glad this recipe was a success.
Katie says
May 20, 2015 at 9:46 pmHow many servings does this make? It’s just me and my husband and we’re pretty bad at eating leftovers.
Emily says
May 21, 2015 at 9:44 amIt feeds about 4 to 6 people, if you weren’t wanting leftovers I would definitely half the recipe.
Ashley says
August 4, 2015 at 5:56 pmI’m going to make this tonight! I was wanting to make rice with the dish…would the sauce compliment it? It looks absolutely devine, but I’m sick of mashed potatoes right now haha!
Erica says
August 4, 2015 at 10:46 pmYes, rice would definitely be a great substitute! Let us know how you like it 😀
Jeannie Johnson says
August 21, 2015 at 10:00 pmThis recipe is amazing! The chicken was so delicious. In fact, I made this for my family and they all loved it too. I will definitely make this again. Thank you so much for a great recipe.
Echo says
August 22, 2015 at 6:55 pmI’m so glad you like it! Thank you for sharing your success!
Pam B says
September 17, 2015 at 9:33 amLove this. I have made it a few times for friends and everyone has enjoyed it. Being a basil lover, I added some finely crushed dried basil to the bread crumbs. I also tried it over angel hair pasta that I added fresh chiffonade basil leaves to in the last minute of cooking…yum!
Erica says
September 17, 2015 at 11:30 amThis is one of my very favorite recipes too– great idea adding basil to the breadcrumbs!
Sarah says
November 18, 2015 at 8:41 pmI just LOVE all of your recipes! I haven’t ever tried this one over the 7 years I’ve been stocking your site!! 😛 The sauce in the picture looks a little thin, is that true? If so, have you ever made it thicker? Would adding flour in the beginning be best? How much do you think I would need to make it a thick gravy? Thanks Erica!! Love you girls!
Erica says
November 18, 2015 at 9:05 pmHi Sarah– Wow– 7 years! You have been following us almost since the beginning! Thank you for being a true, loyal follower! THANK YOU!!! 😀 You rock! We will keep doing our best to bring you yummy recipes for at least another 7 years 😉 Anyway, to answer your question– Yes, you can add a little flour to thicken or if it is too thin for your liking you can mix a little milk with some cornstarch and keep adding to the gravy until it thickens up more. Sometimes it comes out thinner for me, sometimes thicker– you just kind of have to mess with it to get it where you want it. Hope this helps! -Erica
amanda g says
January 16, 2016 at 5:39 pmThanks for the recipe! Do you use regular a pie and bread crumbs or panko Italian bread crumbs? Thanks!
Erica says
January 19, 2016 at 6:19 pmYou can use either. Typically I use regular panko breadcrumbs but Italian would be delcious!
LL says
August 28, 2017 at 3:42 pmThis was REALLY good. The sauce was delicious, although a little on the thin side. It went a long way. We also used it as a dip for jo-jos and the day after, tossed the rest with some pasta. Thanks!
Favorite Family Recipes says
August 29, 2017 at 1:50 pmOh man, I LOVE the idea of using the sauce for JoJos! YUUUMMM! Thanks for the comment! 😀
Josephine says
December 11, 2018 at 7:11 pmJust made this tonight and it was fabulous!!!! I will definitely be making it again and again and again!! Served it with brown rice and it was great! The sauce on the rice kicked it up a couple of notches. I was wishing the sauce was a little thicker but it doesn’t matter – it’s awesome!!! Thanks so much! Love it!!
Favorite Family Recipes says
December 12, 2018 at 6:04 pmWe are so glad you love this recipe! It is one of our all-time favorites!! Thank you so much for the 5-star rating! If you want the sauce to be thicker, you could simmer it for a bit longer or add more cheese to thicken!
juliet says
February 22, 2019 at 5:47 pmmight sound crazy but I will substitute halibut for the chicken tonight. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Favorite Family Recipes says
February 23, 2019 at 10:35 amIt doesn’t sound crazy, it sounds delicious!