Crispy Pan-Fried Chicken with Butter Cream Gravy

Name: Crispy Pan-Fried Chicken with Butter Cream Gravy
Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 4 ounce Club or Ritz crackers; 1 cup buttermilk or milk; salt and fresh ground pepper; 5 tablespoon vegetable oil; __BLANK__; For the Butter Cream Gravy:; 1 cup chicken broth; 4 tablespoon butter; 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 2 tablespoon cornstarch; salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

By: FaveSouthernRecipes.com Test Kitchen

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Nothing is more comforting than a flavorful chicken dish. Enjoy some classic Southern comfort food with this recipe for Crispy Pan-Fried Chicken with Butter Cream Gravy. To make this easy Southern recipe, pieces of chicken are coated in buttermilk and cracker crumbs and then fried until golden brown.

After all of the chicken is cooked, a flavorful butter cream gravy is made from the pan drippings, chicken broth, butter, half-and-half, and seasonings. Each piece of crispy chicken should be served with a healthy serving of the creamy gravy. The gravy would also pair well with homemade mashed potatoes.

Serve this Crispy Pan-Fried Chicken with Butter Cream Gravy with potatoes and vegetables for a complete meal. Once you make this Southern cooking recipe, it will become a permanent part of your recipe rotation.

Serves6

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Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 ounces Club or Ritz crackers
1 cup buttermilk or milk
salt and fresh ground pepper
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Butter Cream Gravy:
1 cup chicken broth
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons cornstarch
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Cut each chicken breast crosswise into 3 or 4 pieces. Place them, a few at a time, into a gallon-size zip-top plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin to a uniform 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle the chicken lightly with salt and pepper.
Place the crackers into another zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin until finely crushed. Place the crumbs into a shallow pan or plate. Place the buttermilk into another shallow pan or plate. Dip each piece of chicken into the buttermilk, then into the crumbs to coat them well on each side. Place on a plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before frying.
Heat 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until it sizzles when a bit of the crumb coating is dropped into it. Place a few pieces of chicken at a time into the pan without crowding, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove to a warm plate and slide into a warm oven while you finish frying the rest of the chicken, adding more oil if necessary.
When all of the chicken is cooked through and golden brown, remove it to the waiting plate and immediately add the butter to the empty pan and let it melt, then add the broth, whisking to pick up any browned bits on the surface. Add a cup of half and half and the thyme and continue to whisk until it comes to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer.
In a small bowl, create a slurry by combining the cornstarch with the remaining 2 tablespoons of half-and-half, stirring until a light paste is formed. Pour this into the simmering mixture and stir and cook an additional 2 minutes until a smooth gravy is formed.
Taste and add salt and fresh ground pepper as necessary.