Parmesan Crusted Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce (2024)

Parmesan Crusted Chicken is elevated to the next level with a creamy basil sauce. Looks fancy, but is ridiculously easy to make. Impress your guests with this delicious meal!

Parmesan Crusted Chicken takes on a whole new flavor when topped with this creamy basil sauce. Whenever we invite company over for dinner for the first time, this recipe is right at the top of the “impress our guests” list! Tender boneless, skinless chicken breasts are pan crusted with Italian bread crumbs and browned to perfection. The basil cream sauce includes tons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with pasta or rice and a green salad or broccoli, and you have a dinner your guests will be talking about for a long time!

Ingredients

• Milk
• Italian breadcrumbs – or Panko breadcrumbs mixed with Italian seasoning
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Chicken breasts
• Butter
• Chicken broth
• Whipping cream
• Dried basil
• Salt and pepper

Method

This Parmesan Crusted Chicken recipe sounds fancy, and TASTES fancy, but it truly is easy to make. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be enjoying a 5-star meal in no time!

• First, prepare your chicken. Cut the chicken breasts in half and pound them out to be about ½ inch thick.
• Next, put the milk in one bowl, and the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in another bowl. It works best if both bowls are shallow and wide.
• Then, dip each chicken breast in milk and coat with breadcrumbs and cheese mixture. Place them on a plate or baking sheet until ready to cook. This step creates the “Parmesan Crusted” part of your chicken.
• At this point I usually set my oven to warm the chicken while I make the sauce.
• Next, heat the butter in a pan over medium heat. When it is melted and bubbly, add the chicken. Don’t crowd the pan. You may have to do multiple batches to get all the chicken cooked. Cook the chicken on both sides until golden brown and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165 degrees.
• After all of the chicken is cooked and warming in the oven, start your sauce. Pour the chicken broth into the hot pan and scrape all the cooked bits off the bottom of the pan. Then, add cream, basil, salt, and pepper.
• Once the cream is hot, add grated Parmesan cheese. Then, stir until the cheese is melted.
• Finally, simmer the sauce until it reaches your desired consistency. I like my sauce a little thicker so I cook it longer.
• Enjoy your Parmesan Chicken over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes.

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.
• You can also fry up your Parmesan Crusted Chicken in a little extra virgin olive oil.
• After removing the chicken from the pan when you de-glaze your pan, make sure to scrape up all the bits cooked onto the pan. 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Read More: 35+ Quick and Easy To Follow Dinner Ideas Your Family Will Surely Love

More Recipes to Impress Your Dinner Guests

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! After you’ve tried this Parmesan Crusted Chicken recipe, here are a few more meals that are guaranteed to impress your guests:

How to Make Parmesan Crusted Chicken