Ritzy Butter Cream Chicken

Ritzy Butter Cream Chicken Seasoning Blend: 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes For the Chicken: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1-1/2 sleeves Ritz brand or other buttery crackers, finely crushed 2 large eggs, beaten 1 tablespoon hot sauce 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, divided For the Gravy: 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup chicken broth 1 cup whole milk or half and half Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Pound chicken to an even thickness using a blade tenderizer or beat between sheets of plastic wrap with a mallet. In a pie plate, combine crushed cracker crumbs with seasoning blend. In a separate plate, beat the eggs with the hot sauce. Dip each piece of chicken in the beaten eggs, let excess drain off, and then dredge in the cracker mixture, pressing to coat breasts completely. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and arrange coated chicken in pan, topping with thin slices of remaining butter. Alternatively, place chicken on a rack over a rimmed cooking tray, spraying both sides of chicken with cooking oil (omit butter). Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes; remove, turn and bake another 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Meanwhile, add half stick butter to a skillet and stir in the flour. Cook for two minutes. Slowly stir in the chicken broth until fully incorporated, then add in the milk or half and half. Cook until bubbly and thickened. Taste, add salt and pepper, and spoon over chicken breasts. Pan Fried: Heat 1/2 cup cooking oil with 1/4 cup unsalted butter in a large skillet and cook chicken in batches until browned on both sides and cooked through. Drain on a rack placed over a rimmed baking sheet and set aside or hold in a low oven. Pour off all but 1/4 cup of pan drippings and proceed with pan gravy as above, scraping up the browned bits in the skillet. To Air Fry: Air fryers vary in wattage by brand and size. You may need to adjust times for your brand. Pound chicken breasts to even thickness. Prepare as above, except substitute cooking oil spray for the butter. I recommend the EVO brand of oil sprayers. Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees for 3 minutes. Spray basket or racks and spray both sides of breaded chicken breasts. Cook, in batches if needed, at 380 degrees F for 12 minutes longer, or until juices run clear when poked with knife tip or an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees F, turning halfway and respraying. If chicken breasts are more than 3 to 4 ounces, you'll need to add more time. Prepare gravy as above. Variation: Add Parmesan cheese or other shredded cheeses to the cracker mixture.