Proposal-Worthy Chicken Dish

Ingredients

• Chicken:
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs, or more as needed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• Sauce:
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 medium shallot, diced
• 2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup half-and-half
• pinch grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 (16 ounce) package dry fettuccine pasta

Step 1

Blend the panko bread crumbs with salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a bowl. Then, set up three separate bowls—one with buttermilk, one with flour, and one with beaten eggs. Take each chicken breast and dip it first into the buttermilk, then coat it in flour. After that, dunk it in the egg and press it firmly into the panko mixture, making sure every side is covered well.

Step 2

Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place the breaded chicken breasts in the pan and cook them for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until they’re golden and crispy and no longer pink inside. To be sure, slice into the thickest part of one breast. Once done, transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any extra oil.

Step 3

Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and shallot, sautéing until they’re soft and almost translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and stir in the tomatoes, basil, garlic, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Let it cook gently until the tomatoes break down and the liquid starts to evaporate, roughly 10 minutes.

Step 4

Pour in the chicken broth and white wine, bring everything to a simmer, and let it reduce for 5 to 7 minutes. Then blend the sauce until it’s smooth—use an immersion blender right in the pot or carefully transfer it to a regular blender in batches. Stir in the half-and-half, then gradually add the Parmesan cheese, stirring until it melts. If the sauce isn’t silky enough, give it another quick blend. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as you go.

Step 5

While the sauce is bubbling away, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine until it’s tender but still has a bit of bite, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta, plate it up, spoon over the sauce, and top with your crispy, panko-crusted chicken. Enjoy!