Sour Cream Chicken is an easy delicious dinner that your family will love. A simple creamy marinade makes for moist chicken – everyone will want seconds!
This very simple chicken recipes comes to you courtesy of my grandmother’s church lady friends. It has all the makings of an old school recipe, and I think you are going to love it.
Is there anything better than easy comfort food?
The chicken in this recipe is first marinated in a sour cream based marinade and then it is lightly breaded and baked with butter on top. While the pictures make it seem so, it doesn’t crisp up. Rather, it is delicious and moist and full of perfect simple flavors.
This is my favorite recipe for chicken that’s just right for a family meal, company and equally as luscious cold! Trust me a rating lower than 5 is just wrong in my opinion. This recipe rocks.
How to Make Sour Cream Chicken
- Cut Chicken Cutlets: The original recipe didn’t call for this, but as chicken breasts come so large now, you will want to cut the chicken into cutlets. You can see how to do that in my post about Chicken Piccata.
- Marinate the Chicken: As mentioned, the chicken is marinated in a creamy marinade overnight. With just a few minutes of prep, dinner is almost done when you walk in the door the next day.
- Bread the Chicken: The sour cream covered chicken gets a light toss in bread crumbs.
- Bake: Finally the chicken gets a drizzle of butter and then is baked.
Sour Cream Marinade
The marinade for this recipe is very simple, and I bet you have most of it in your refrigerator and pantry already.
- Sour Cream: Since this recipe is baked, do not use low fat.
- Lemon Juice
- Garlic
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Salt
- Paprika
- Cayenne Pepper
- Celery Salt
Marinating Chicken
I love marinating chicken. Chicken is like a blank canvas that can easily take on flavors, and marinating is the perfect way to do that.
I recommend marinating for at least 2 hours, but no more than 24 hours. The bottom of that time range gives the chicken great flavor. Past the end of that range and your chicken will start to break down too much.
FAQ
Yes! If you can find gluten free bread crumbs, then the rest of the recipe will be good to go.
I find that sour cream, when put to heat, can separate or curdle if it isn’t full fat. Since it is the foundation of the marinade, it’s best to stick to full fat.
How to Serve Sour Cream Chicken
If you are looking for some side dishes to go with this great and easy recipe, here are a few of our favorites:
Sour Cream Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut to be 1/2 inch thick
- 1 cup sour cream (I do not recommend using low fat)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup butter melted
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts in half. Use a very sharp knife to cut them in half, butterfly them compltely open, and make two chicken cutlets – like very thin chicken breasts.
- In a reusable and sealable container, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, and celery salt.
- Pat chicken dry. Add to the sour cream mixture, turning it several times to make sure it is fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees, and coat a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Place bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Gently remove the chicken from the sour cream mixture. Roll in the bread crumbs and place in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with each piece of chicken.
- Pour the butter over the chicken and bake, covered, for 30 minutes or until the chicken registers 165 degrees with an instant read thermometer.
Erin says
I am curious if this could be cooked in an air fryer?
This isn’t a recipe I would pick to make in the air fryer. While it looks super crisp in the pictures, it doesn’t have the texture of fried chicken, and I feel like it would take too long in the air fryer with not having the cutlets touching. You would need to cook it in batches.
Donna says
Do you have the Nutrition Information
It is in there now.
Connie says
Can this be made in the air fryer? If so what temp & how long.
Thank you
This isn’t a recipe I would pick to make in the air fryer. While it looks super crisp in the pictures, it doesn’t have the texture of fried chicken, and I feel like it would take too long in the air fryer with not having the cutlets touching. You would need to cook it in batches.
Tracy Segal says
Thoughts on making this dish with dairy free sour cream??
Hi Tracy! I don’t have a lot of experience baking with dairy free sour cream. That is my only hesitancy, I’m worried it will separate during baking.
Colette Retzko says
I made this last night. Delicious!!
Thank you
Bob says
I was showed how to make sour cream chicken by my grandma who was from Hungry (the old country as she called it)and it’s not the same as you make it first you seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper and Hungarian paprika,red pepper p(optional)little garlic (optional) and chopped onions then add shortening to your pot and brown the chicken then add the sour cream and simmer until done. I simmer till it’s ready to fall off the bone
Linda says
Loved it! So moist
Rachaelbetty says
This is my favorite recipe for chicken that’s just right for a family meal, company and equally as luscious cold!
I originally found it in my congregation’s cookbook, but then I used it so much, the spiral binding broke on it and with three moves in close successtion couldn’t find the book again.
BUT I found it here.
Trust me a rating lower than 5 is just wrong in my opinion, but then again, some people prefer a tomato based marinade or covering up the gentle taste with cheese! Not me. This recipe rocks.
I’m so happy you like it!
Rebecca says
My family and I enjoyed this recipe! It took a lot longer for mine to cook for some reason. But, it still turned out soft and juicy. I served it over butter noodles for my kids and with brown rice for me. I will definitely make it again!
That is so strange! I’m so sorry it took so much longer, but I’m so glad that you liked it!
Evelyn says
This was really good! My whole family enjoyed it. I turned the broiler on the last few minutes to help brown it up a bit. So good. Will definitely make again!
I’m so glad this was a hit with your family!