Name: Chicken Imperial for Two
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed; Salt and pepper; 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened, plus 1 tablespoon melted; 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley; 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme; 1 garlic clove , minced; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1/3 cup chicken broth; 1/4 cup dry white wine; 1 small shallot , minced; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Why This Recipe Works

This one-pan baked chicken topped with herbed bread crumbs and served with a creamy sauce is an easy but impressive meal for two. We process the bread crumbs with softened butter to make it easier to press the crumbs into a cohesive mass on top of each boneless chicken breast that will stay in place during cooking. Baking the chicken right in the sauce, in a 13 by 9-inch baking pan, allows for maximum flavor transfer between the sauce and chicken and makes it easy to reduce the sauce to a luxurious consistency without any stovetop fussing.

Before You Begin

Use chicken breasts of equal size so they cook at the same rate. Ian’s Panko Breadcrumbs, Original Style won a recent test kitchen taste test of bread crumbs.

Instructions

Season chicken all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.

Meanwhile, combine panko, Parmesan, softened butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley, thyme, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in bowl with fork until butter is fully incorporated into crumbs.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Arrange chicken, skinned side up, in 13 by 9-inch baking dish, side by side with narrow ends of breasts opposite each other. Brush tops of breasts with melted butter. Top each breast with equal amount panko mixture, pressing firmly to adhere.

Whisk cream, broth, wine, shallot, and mustard together in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Carefully pour cream mixture around chicken breasts, taking care not to wet crumbs. Transfer dish to oven and bake until chicken registers 160 degrees, 17 to 20 minutes.

Using spatula, transfer chicken to platter. Return dish to oven and continue to cook until sauce is thickened slightly, 1 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce around chicken, sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley, and serve.