Easy Chicken in Cream Sauce for Two, crispy breaded chicken served over orzo or rice with a two-minute basil and Parmesan cream sauce.
I’ve shared a few of my favorite date-night or special-occasion meals on the site already. These are dishes taste great, look a little fancier than your average dinner, but are secretly incredibly easy so you don’t have to stress about them. Those dishes include my Bacon and Feta Stuffed Chicken , Chicken Parmesan , and Broiled Steak in Mustard Sauce . I have another one for you today, Chicken in Cream Sauce for Two.
This is a perfect dinner for special occasions because it looks fabulous and fancy on a plate, but is very simple to make. The chicken is just cut into cutlets (you can also buy cutlets if you prefer) and coated in seasoned bread crumbs and then pan-fried on the stove.
Since you are working with very thin cuts of chicken, they cook quickly and are much easier to fry than larger pieces of meat. Once the chicken is cooked, you deglaze the pan with a little chicken broth and make a quick pan sauce of cream and Parmesan with toasted red peppers and basil.
You end up with a rich and creamy sauce that looks fabulous poured over your sliced chicken breast and takes literally 2 minutes to make. I always serve this dish over orzo because I love orzo, but if you are a rice person, it’s also fabulous over rice. You slice your chicken, lay it over a bed of the carb of your choice, and spoon the sauce over the top.
The chicken looks and tastes like a million bucks, but really takes very little effort, and isn’t that the perfect dinner?
Chicken in Cream Sauce Recipe Tips
- If you’ve never cut a chicken breast into cutlets before, it’s super easy and I give instructions for it in the recipe, but here’s a good video tutorial if you want to see it done.
- I don’t recommend cutting the butter too much in this recipe. It helps to keep the breading on the chicken from burning in the pan. If you want to cut the butter completely, instead bake the breaded chicken on a lightly greased baking sheet for 8 to 15 minutes at 400°F, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- If you have a keto guest, this recipe is really easy to make keto-friendly! Just skip the milk and breading on the chicken and instead sprinkle with a little salt and Italian seasoning, and cook according to recipe instructions. Then replace the half and half with heavy cream, and serve over cauliflower rice.
- This recipe calls for half and half. Check out my post What to Do With Leftover Half and Half for freezing instructions and ideas on what to do with the leftovers.
Ingredients
Peppers
- ▢ 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ▢ 1/2 red bell pepper finely diced
Breaded Chicken
- ▢ 1/4 cup milk
- ▢ 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning *
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- ▢ 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast or 3 small cutlets
Basil Cream Sauce
- ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 1.5oz ) butter
- ▢ 1/4 cup chicken broth
- ▢ 1/2 cup half and half *
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 1oz ) shredded Parmesan cheese
- ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
Serve Over
- ▢ 4 ounces ( 2/3 cup ) orzo or rice
Instructions
Peppers
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and grease lightly with cooking spray or 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Cook diced bell peppers for 3 to 5 minutes, until the peppers just start to lose their crunch (this is all the cooking they will get, so if you prefer softer peppers, cook them longer). Transfer to a plate, set aside, and wipe out the pan.
- Place a medium pot of lightly salted water on to boil for the orzo.
Breaded Chicken
- Cut your chicken breast into 3 even cutlets by placing one hand flat on top of the breast and running a sharp knife horizontally through the breast 1/3 of the way down and then again with halfway through the bottom piece of the meat so you have three thin, even pieces.
- Place two containers on the counter large enough to fit your chicken breast pieces for dipping. To the first add the milk. In the second, stir together bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Dredge the first breast piece in the milk and then coat in the crumbs. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
- Start orzo and cook according to package instructions. Drain and keep covered when finished.
- While your orzo cooks, heat your skillet over medium heat and melt butter. Add chicken breasts to the hot pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the breasts reads 165°F.
- Transfer chicken breasts to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm.
Basil Cream Sauce
- Over medium heat, add chicken broth to the pan and use a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape the cooked bits of breading and chicken off the bottom. Add half and half and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 1 minute until slightly reduced.
- Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan, bell peppers, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Cut chicken into strips and serve over the orzo. Spoon sauce over everything. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Adapted From AllRecipes
This Deluxe Mac and Cheese for Two is quick and easy to throw together and makes the perfect vegetarian meal for two or side for three or four.
Hey, happy Monday! How was your weekend?
I have a couple Mac and Cheese recipes on the site already. There is my classic Quick Mac and Cheese for One , which has been super popular, and Bacon Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese , but today’s mac and cheese is the deluxe version. It’s made with cheddar cheese and Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano if you have it–my favorite) and topped with buttery, toasted bread cubes.
It’s my FAVORITE way to eat mac and cheese and soooooooo good. The macaroni is super cheesy and creamy, and the toasted bread topping is crisp and crunchy and makes for a perfect combo.
This is a fabulous vegetarian meal for two or an easy side for three to four people. It’s also very simple to make since all you have to do is boil pasta, whisk together butter, flour, milk, and cheese for the cheese sauce, and toss some bread with butter to go on top. It comes together in less than 15 minutes and then gets popped into the oven until the bread is toasted and it’s ready to go.
More Cheesy Recipes
- Chicken Parm Soup
- Homemade Cheese Fries
- Baked Ziti
- Salsa Chicken
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- ▢ 7x5-inch baking dish
Pasta
- ▢ 1 cup ( 5oz ) elbow macaroni or small shells
Cheese Sauce
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 1oz ) salted butter
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 15g ) all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1 cup milk any percentage
- ▢ 1 cup ( 4oz ) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese divided
- ▢ 1/2 cup ( 2oz ) shredded Parmesan or Pecorino Romano divided
- ▢ Pinch of cayenne optional
- ▢ Pinch of nutmeg optional
- ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
Topping
- ▢ 2 slices white bread cut into 1-inch cubes
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 1/2oz ) butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 7x5-inch baking dish (or any oven-safe dish of a similar size).
- In a medium pot of salted water, cook macaroni according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While your pasta is cooking, in a medium pot, over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and whisk together until golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in milk and continue whisking constantly until mixture thickens and becomes bubbly, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add 2/3 of the Cheddar and 2/3 of the Parmesan and stir until smooth. Add a generous pinch of cayenne and nutmeg (if desired) and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add drained pasta to your cheese sauce and stir. Pour mac and cheese into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Cheddar and Parmesan over the top.
- Place your bread cubes into a medium bowl and pour melted butter over the top. Stir to coat all the cubes. Pile bread over your mac and cheese. (If your baking dish looks precariously full, place on a cookie sheet before putting it into the oven to avoid overflow.) Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until bread is toasted.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
How to Steam Broccoli in the Microwave, a quick step by step tutorial.
One of the earliest recipes I shared on this blog was my Butter and Garlic Green Beans recipe . At the time, it was my ultimate no-fail lazy-bones vegetable side recipe, and I still love it. It’s also one of the most popular recipes on the site, so clearly you guys love it too.
But since then, I’ve found an even EASIER, LAZIER vegetable side, one that requires me to turn on neither oven nor stove: Microwave-Steamed Broccoli.
Yup, did you know you can steam broccoli in the microwave? Because you can, and it’s GREAT. It’s great freshly steamed, with nothing on it or even better, tossed in a little butter and sprinkled with salt and pepper.
On many a night, it has saved me from just eating a slab of meat with nothing else on my plate, because it’s basically zero effort and takes fewer than five minutes to make.
Here’s How to Steam Broccoli in the Microwave:
Place chopped broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl and pour 3 tablespoons of water over the top.
Cover with a plate and microwave on high for 2 1/2 to 4 minutes, until broccoli is tender.
Be careful when you remove the broccoli from the microwave. The steam will be hot!
Transfer broccoli to a serving dish and serve plain or toss with butter and a little salt and pepper.
And enjoy!
How easy was that!?
For more vegetables in the microwave recipes, try Green Beans in the Microwave , Corn on the Cob in the Microwave , and Cauliflower in the Microwave .
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 large head broccoli chopped
- ▢ 3 tablespoons water
- ▢ 1 tablespoon salted butter optional
- ▢ Salt and pepper to taste optional
Instructions
- Place chopped broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl and pour water over the top.
- Cover with a plate and microwave on high for 2 1/2 to 4 minutes, until broccoli is tender. Be careful when you remove the broccoli from the microwave. The steam will be hot!
- Transfer broccoli to a serving dish. If desired, top with butter, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Easy Chicken in Cream Sauce for Two
Ingredients
Peppers
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 red bell pepper finely diced
Breaded Chicken
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning *
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast or 3 small cutlets
Basil Cream Sauce
- 3 tablespoons ( 1.5oz ) butter
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup half and half *
- 1/4 cup ( 1oz ) shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Serve Over
- 4 ounces ( 2/3 cup ) orzo or rice
Instructions
Peppers
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and grease lightly with cooking spray or 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Cook diced bell peppers for 3 to 5 minutes, until the peppers just start to lose their crunch (this is all the cooking they will get, so if you prefer softer peppers, cook them longer). Transfer to a plate, set aside, and wipe out the pan.
- Place a medium pot of lightly salted water on to boil for the orzo.
Breaded Chicken
- Cut your chicken breast into 3 even cutlets by placing one hand flat on top of the breast and running a sharp knife horizontally through the breast 1/3 of the way down and then again with halfway through the bottom piece of the meat so you have three thin, even pieces.
- Place two containers on the counter large enough to fit your chicken breast pieces for dipping. To the first add the milk. In the second, stir together bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Dredge the first breast piece in the milk and then coat in the crumbs. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
- Start orzo and cook according to package instructions. Drain and keep covered when finished.
- While your orzo cooks, heat your skillet over medium heat and melt butter. Add chicken breasts to the hot pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the breasts reads 165°F.
- Transfer chicken breasts to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm.
Basil Cream Sauce
- Over medium heat, add chicken broth to the pan and use a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape the cooked bits of breading and chicken off the bottom. Add half and half and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 1 minute until slightly reduced.
- Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan, bell peppers, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Cut chicken into strips and serve over the orzo. Spoon sauce over everything. Enjoy!
