Description
A comforting and cheesy chicken dish featuring tender chicken breasts cooked to a golden crust, smothered in a creamy cheddar and Parmesan sauce with broccoli, optionally topped with crispy bacon for extra flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 6 strips thick-cut bacon, optional
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
- 3–4 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups milk
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 ½ cups broccoli florets, finely chopped
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
Instructions
- Prep Work: Combine the all-purpose flour and 4 tablespoons of finely shredded Parmesan cheese in a bowl and set aside. Measure out all remaining ingredients before starting cooking. Slice each chicken breast into 2-3 thinner cutlets about ½ inch thick, pounding gently with a meat tenderizer if needed. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels.
- Cook the Chicken: Season both sides of each chicken piece with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Dredge each piece in the flour and Parmesan mixture, tapping off any excess. Heat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2-3 chicken pieces at once, leaving space around each, and sauté for 4-5 minutes per side until a golden brown crust forms. Remove chicken and set aside. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Adjust heat as needed and add more oil if required. Avoid moving the chicken too much during cooking to help form the crust.
- Make the Sauce: Wipe excess oil from the pan leaving the browned bits (fond) for flavor. Melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat, scraping the pan bottom with a spatula. Whisk in 3 tablespoons flour and cook for 2 minutes to form a roux. Gradually add chicken broth in small splashes, whisking constantly to maintain thickness. Slowly add 2 cups milk using the same gradual method. Stir in onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, and hot sauce. Add the finely chopped broccoli and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 4-5 minutes until broccoli is tender. Lower heat and allow sauce base to cool slightly before gradually stirring in 2 cups shredded cheddar and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese until fully melted and smooth.
- Combine and Finish: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the cheesy broccoli sauce. Spoon sauce over the chicken and let it heat through uncovered for about 5 minutes. If desired, crumble the cooked bacon over the top as garnish. Serve hot with baked potatoes or your preferred side.
Notes
- If using smaller chicken breasts, increase the number to 3-4 pieces instead of 2 for better portioning.
- To reduce sodium, use unsalted butter and low sodium chicken broth and omit additional salt when seasoning the chicken.
- For a smooth and creamy sauce, ensure the sauce base is not too hot when adding cheese to prevent graininess.
- Always shred cheese from a block rather than pre-shredded for better melting and flavor.
- Pounding chicken with the textured side of a meat mallet helps the breading stick better and makes the chicken juicier.
- The hot sauce enhances flavors without making the dish spicy.
- Optionally cook the bacon separately, reserve drippings for cooking chicken or making the roux instead of butter, and crumble bacon to garnish the final dish.
- This recipe is featured in The Cozy Cookbook, page 103.
- Nutritional information assumes all flour is used for dredging but there may be some excess.
