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Melt in your mouth chicken breast in a creamy Parmesan sauce topped with crisp turkey bacon and parsley on a white plate

Melt in Your Mouth Chicken

Thin chicken cutlets seared until golden, then finished in a garlic Parmesan cream sauce and topped with crisp turkey bacon and parsley. Ready in about 35 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 630
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the chicken
  • 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1½ lb / 680 g, halved horizontally into 4 cutlets
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour for dusting
  • 6 slices turkey bacon chopped; chicken bacon works too
  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 1 tbsp butter
For the cream sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream half-and-half makes a thinner sauce
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese finely grated, about 50 g
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Equipment

  • - Baking dish
  • - Mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • - Silicone spatula or spoon

Method
 

  1. Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook the chopped turkey bacon, stirring now and then, for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel.
  2. Pat the chicken cutlets dry. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika, rub over both sides, then dust lightly with flour and shake off the excess.
  3. Add the remaining olive oil and the butter to the skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the cutlets for 4 to 5 minutes, flip and cook 4 minutes more until deep golden. Move to a plate; they do not need to be cooked through.
  4. Lower the heat to medium. Stir in the garlic for about 30 seconds, pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
  5. Stir in the cream, Dijon and thyme and keep at a gentle simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the Parmesan a handful at a time until smooth.
  6. Return the chicken and its juices to the skillet. Spoon sauce over the top and simmer on low for 3 to 5 minutes, until the thickest piece reaches 165°F (74°C). Top with the turkey bacon and parsley and serve.

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate within 2 hours in a covered container for 3 to 4 days. Freeze for 2 to 6 months for best quality. Keep the turkey bacon separate if possible so it stays crisp.
Reheating: Warm in a covered skillet over low heat with 1 to 2 tablespoons of broth until hot in the center.
Substitutions: Use boneless chicken thighs (about a minute longer per side), Pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan (cut the salt by half), or half-and-half plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch instead of heavy cream.
Nutrition is an estimate, not a laboratory analysis.