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Sometimes it’s the simplest of recipes that are the best. Simple ingredients, simple execution…simply delightful to eat and enjoy. This Butter Cream Chicken fits the description here, my friends. The chicken is lightly breaded in Ritz Crackers, pan fried (not deep fried) and topped with a heavenly butter and cream sauce. I’m going to wager that you just might have all of the ingredients on hand to make it.
1. Cut your chicken up into chunks with some kitchen scissors. I usually cut each breast into thirds or sometimes fourths depending on the size of the breast.
2. Place your chicken into a gallon sized ziploc bag and seal the bag. Pound the chicken flat with a meat mallet.
3. Grind the Ritz Crackers into crumbs in a small food processor. Place them in a shallow pan, I find a loaf pan to work best for this step.
4. Press each chicken piece into the crumbs, being sure to coat both sides generously.
Place each coated chicken piece on a plate. “Don’t they look lovely, June. Love the feathers.”…name that movie, anyone?
5. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Once it is good and hot, pour about 5 tablespoons Olive Oil into your pan.
6. Let your oil heat up just for 30 seconds or so, and then put the chicken carefully in the pan. Don’t crowd it now. You’ll need to cook the chicken in two batches.
7. Let the chicken cook until it’s nice and golden brown on the bottom, should take about 3-4 minutes. Turn each piece with a fork and allow it to cook on the other side. The chicken is done when it’s no longer pink inside.
8. Remove the chicken to a separate plate and cook your second batch of chicken, adding another few tablespoons of oil to the pan before you add the chicken.
9. Once you have cooked all of the chicken you’ll have some beautiful crispy treasures left in the pan.
Add 4 tablespoons of butter and 1 cup chicken broth to the pan allowing the butter to melt. Whisk the mixture around a bit, scraping the bottom of the pan to break the crispy pieces loose.
10. Add 1 cup half and half
and 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme. Whisk it around to incorporate and allow it to come to a boil.
11. Into a small bowl pour 2 tablespoons half and half and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Stir it around until smooth.
12. Pour the cornstarch mixture into your pan and stir it with a whisk. Allow it to return to a boil…
as it heats it will thicken into a nice smooth sauce of wonder and bliss…here comes your kiss. 🙂
13. Remove it from the heat, give it a taste and add a bit of salt and pepper to you liking.
1. Cut your chicken up into chunks with some kitchen scissors. I usually cut each breast into thirds or sometimes fourths depending on the size of the breast.
2. Place your chicken into a gallon sized ziploc bag and seal the bag. Pound the chicken flat with a meat mallet.
3. Grind the Ritz Crackers into crumbs in a small food processor. Place them in a shallow pan, I find a loaf pan to work best for this step.
4. Press each chicken piece into the crumbs, being sure to coat both sides generously. Place each coated chicken piece on a plate.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Once it is good and hot, pour about 5 tablespoons Olive Oil into your pan.
6. Let your oil heat up just for 30 seconds or so, and then put the chicken carefully in the pan. Don't crowd it now. You'll need to cook the chicken in two batches.
7. Let the chicken cook until it's nice and golden brown on the bottom, should take about 3-4 minutes. Turn each piece with a fork and allow it to cook on the other side. The chicken is done when it's no longer pink inside.
8. Remove the chicken to a separate plate and cook your second batch of chicken, adding another few tablespoons of oil to the pan before you add the chicken.
9. Once you have cooked all of the chicken you'll have some beautiful crispy treasures left in the pan. Add 4 tablespoons of butter and 1 cup chicken broth to the pan allowing the butter to melt. Whisk the mixture around a bit, scraping the bottom of the pan to break the crispy pieces loose.
10. Add 1 cup half and half and 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme. Whisk it around to incorporate and allow it to come to a boil.
11. Into a small bowl pour 2 tablespoons half and half and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Stir it around until smooth.
12. Pour the cornstarch mixture into your pan and stir it with a whisk. Allow it to return to a boil as it heats it will thicken into a nice smooth sauce of wonder and bliss.
13. Remove it from the heat, give it a taste and add a bit of salt and pepper to you liking. 14. Serve it over the crispy chicken and enjoy!
I know this recipe is old. These are the WORST instructions I’ve ever come across. Cut chicken into chunks? How about filets or cutlets? “Chunks” are for soups and stews. Then, you never say what to do with the cup of cream, either. By the time I finished making this I was frustrated and definitely irritated.
If you already knew that chunks were not going to work for you, why not just make it with cutlets to begin with?? It appears that you are the only one that had trouble with the instructions!!
A restaurant in Ft. Worth, The Cactus Flower, used to serve a version of this but it was called Chili Butter Chicken. Somehow they used Chili Peppers in the sauce. Was amazing. Served it with new potatoes. Restaurant is now closed, but I sure wish I had the recipe for that sauce.
Hi Jamie! This looks amazing! Making it tonight. Someone asked below if you need to dip in eggs and butter. I was curious too. Also. I don’t have and ritz. Think panko is ok?
Just read ! Step #10 clearly states what to do with the cream. Read directions step by step instead of having a hiss over verbiage. Chunks, filets, cutlets; if you read the directions you would get the right size chunks of chicken. Doofus
Hi Jamie, thanks for sharing this recipe. Some thoughts- you do not specify if you use salted or unsalted butter- do you think it would make a difference? Also, your recipe reads only as 4 chicken breasts without the mention of those breasts being skinless! I am curious as to why you left out this detail (not that there is anything wrong with that! LOL!)
Hi Robin,
Thanks for your question. I always use salted butter, but you could certainly use unsalted. You may just need to salt each individual portion a bit.
I also use skinless chicken breasts. Hope this helps!
Good luck!
~Jamie
I know this recipe is old. These are the WORST instructions I’ve ever come across. Cut chicken into chunks? How about filets or cutlets? “Chunks” are for soups and stews. Then, you never say what to do with the cup of cream, either. By the time I finished making this I was frustrated and definitely irritated.
If you already knew that chunks were not going to work for you, why not just make it with cutlets to begin with?? It appears that you are the only one that had trouble with the instructions!!
So you don’t dip the chicken in eggs or anything before you coat them with the crackers?
A restaurant in Ft. Worth, The Cactus Flower, used to serve a version of this but it was called Chili Butter Chicken. Somehow they used Chili Peppers in the sauce. Was amazing. Served it with new potatoes. Restaurant is now closed, but I sure wish I had the recipe for that sauce.
Yumm The best Butter Chicken ever. It will be a staple in our house
Were is the print button
It’s near the title of the recipe after the words “Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up! Inspired by Bits Of Taste”. It’s not a button, just hypertext.
Thank You
This really looks good
All these wonderful, FREE recipes, and people still get grumpy. If you don’t like it, maybe just move on instead of being so impudent.
Hi Jamie! This looks amazing! Making it tonight. Someone asked below if you need to dip in eggs and butter. I was curious too. Also. I don’t have and ritz. Think panko is ok?
I meant eggs and flour. Duh. ?
Just read ! Step #10 clearly states what to do with the cream. Read directions step by step instead of having a hiss over verbiage. Chunks, filets, cutlets; if you read the directions you would get the right size chunks of chicken. Doofus
Hi Jamie, thanks for sharing this recipe. Some thoughts- you do not specify if you use salted or unsalted butter- do you think it would make a difference? Also, your recipe reads only as 4 chicken breasts without the mention of those breasts being skinless! I am curious as to why you left out this detail (not that there is anything wrong with that! LOL!)
Hi Robin,
Thanks for your question. I always use salted butter, but you could certainly use unsalted. You may just need to salt each individual portion a bit.
I also use skinless chicken breasts. Hope this helps!
Good luck!
~Jamie