Italian Butter Chicken (Petti Di Pollo al Burro)

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry sherry
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• Lemon slices, for garnish (optional)
• Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

Method

Marinate the chicken:Mix the sherry and lemon juice in a large bowl. Submerge the chicken breasts in the mixture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

Pound the chicken:Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and pat them dry with a paper towel. Discard the marinade. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound them to 1/2-inch thickness.

Bread the chicken:In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, salt, onion powder, and white pepper.  Pour the breadcrumbs into a separate shallow bowl.Dip a chicken breast in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off, then coat in the breadcrumbs. Place on a clean plate or baking tray and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Cook the chicken:Melt half of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it begins to bubble and foam, add the chicken breasts. Cook the chicken until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 to 6 minutes, adjusting the heat down to medium if the chicken is browning too quickly.Add the rest of the butter to the skillet and flip the chicken breasts. Cook until golden brown on both sides and the chicken registers 165°F in the thickest part, about 5 more minutes. Baste with the butter occasionally for the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking, spooning the butter over the top of the chicken.
Simple Tip!If all of the chicken won’t fit in your pan, cook them in two batches.