Description
Golden-crisp breaded chicken served over perfectly cooked pasta with a silky Parmesan cream sauce, bright basil, and salty prosciutto, a comforting yet elegant Italian-inspired main dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (or panko for extra crispiness)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 4 thin slices prosciutto
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Your Equipment: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter until shimmering.
- Combine Ingredients: Pound chicken breasts to even thickness. Dredge each breast in flour, dip into beaten eggs, then coat evenly with breadcrumbs.
- Prepare Your Cooking Vessel: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt remaining butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sauté garlic until fragrant, add chicken broth and heavy cream, then whisk in freshly grated Parmesan until the sauce is smooth and warmed through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the Dish: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti or linguine until al dente, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain, and toss the pasta with a few spoonfuls of the sauce to coat. Use reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Cook to Perfection: In the preheated skillet, pan-fry the breaded chicken breasts in batches, about 4 to 5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Add more oil or butter as needed between batches.
- Finishing Touches: Arrange a bed of sauced pasta on each plate, place a crispy chicken breast on top, fold or crisp prosciutto in the skillet briefly and add alongside, then spoon additional sauce over the chicken. Scatter chopped fresh basil and shave more Parmesan on top.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve immediately on warm plates so the chicken stays crisp and the sauce remains silky. Garnish with whole basil leaves and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the creamiest, most flavorful sauce.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency and help it cling to the pasta.
- To keep chicken extra crispy, serve immediately and avoid covering with too much sauce.
- Make components ahead: keep chicken and sauce stored separately and reheat gently before assembling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate (approx 1 chicken breast with 3 oz pasta)
- Calories: 720
- Sugar: 3.5g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 200mg
Keywords: Chicken Bellagio, creamy Parmesan chicken, breaded chicken pasta, Italian-inspired dinner, crispy chicken with pasta