Cheese and Crackers Chicken

Name: Cheese and Crackers Chicken
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper; 1 sleeve buttery round crackers; 2 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 cup milk; 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, about ½ cup; fresh thyme

Coastal Mains

Cheese and Crackers Chicken

Print Recipe

The Strategy:

We are taking the humble, nostalgic flavors of a childhood snack and elevating them into a sophisticated coastal supper. By substituting a standard egg wash with mayonnaise, we guarantee a deeply savory, protective barrier that keeps the chicken incredibly moist while allowing the crushed buttery round crackers to adhere perfectly. Finishing the pan with a quick, bubbling Parmesan cream sauce ties the entire dish together into something luxurious and profoundly comforting.

Serves: 4 | Total Time: 30 minutes till it’s ready

Ingredients

For the chicken breading

2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1 sleeve buttery round crackers

For cooking and cheese sauce

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, about ½ cup
fresh thyme

Ingredients arranged: raw chicken breasts, a bowl of mayonnaise, a pile of crushed buttery round crackers, butter, olive oil, flour, a pitcher of milk, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper around a marble prep board.

Instructions

Bread and pan-fry chicken

Lay the chicken breasts onto your work surface. Holding the breast down with your hand, use your very sharp knife to cut it in half horizontally. Repeat with the rest of the chicken, creating 4 pieces.
Brush both sides of each piece with mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper.
Use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or the bottom of a skillet to crush the crackers in the sleeve. Open the package and pour the crumbs into a shallow dish. There will be about 2 cups.
Dredge the chicken breasts in the cracker crumbs, generously coating both sides of the chicken. Transfer the coated breasts to a platter.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter is bubbling, add the chicken into the pan. (You can do this in batches if your pan will not accommodate all 4 breasts.) Cook until golden on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook on the second side until golden, making sure that the chicken cooks completely, reaching an internal temperature of 165°, about another 5 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a clean platter.

Make cheese sauce and serve

Add the flour to the leftover juices in the skillet.
Reduce the heat to low.
Whisk until a bubbly paste forms, about 2 minutes.
Whisk in the milk.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with fresh thyme.

Close-up action shot of a cook's hand using a whisk to vigorously stir a bubbling, creamy Parmesan sauce in a hot skillet, with steam rising up beautifully.

The full recipe lives in the Vault

Ingredients, step-by-step method, and every chef-tested detail are reserved for members of the Estate Registry.

Join the Estate Registry

The Heart of the Table

Serving a meal this rich and unpretentious immediately puts your guests at ease. It proves that luxury doesn’t have to mean complicated ingredients; sometimes, the most generous thing you can do is elevate a deeply familiar, comforting flavor profile and serve it with pride.

8 guests gathered around the table laughing, eating, and drinking white wine in a Palm Beach Estate dining patio with ocean views. An individual plate of golden Cheese and Crackers Chicken sits in front of the closest guest.

Neighborly Grace

THE PRESENTATION: Do not drown the crispy chicken in the sauce. Serve the golden, cracker-crusted chicken cutlets on individual plates alongside a simple green vegetable, and carefully spoon the rich Parmesan sauce over just one half of the chicken to preserve that beautiful, buttery crunch. Finish with a sprig of fresh thyme.
THE POUR: The buttery cracker crust and rich Parmesan sauce require a wine with enough body to match the weight, but enough acidity to cut through the fat. A lightly oaked California Chardonnay or a crisp White Burgundy will complement the buttery notes beautifully.
THE VIBE: Warm, familiar, and surprisingly elegant. This is the perfect weeknight dinner party main, served when you want your guests to feel completely comfortable and deeply cared for.

Chef’s Recommendations

The Potatoes Under the Gravy: Pommes de Terre Chantilly
The Green on the Plate: Super Soft Green Beans with Caramelized Onions
The Glass Alongside: Lemon Sugar Rush Drop
The Sweet at the End: Cherry Walnut Crumble Cake

The Estate Table

Build tonight’s menu around this dish.

✦ Set the Table

Cheese and Crackers Chicken

Cheese and Crackers Chicken

The full recipe lives in the Vault

The Heart of the Table

Neighborly Grace

✨ The Gilded Swaps