Chicken Milanese & Creamy Pesto Penne

• Pat chicken* dry with paper towels; place between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a mallet or rolling pin until chicken is about ½ inch thick. Season with salt and pepper; brush all over (both sides!) with sour cream.  • Working one piece at a time, press chicken into panko mixture until fully coated. Transfer to a plate. TIP: For less mess, use tongs to dip and transfer.

• Once water is boiling, add penne to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. • Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain. • Place cream sauce base and pesto in pot used for penne over medium heat. Stir in drained penne until thoroughly coated. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Set aside, stirring occasionally. TIP: If needed, stir in splashes of reserved pasta cooking water until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce.

• Spread baguette slices out on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Toast on middle rack until golden brown, 5-8 minutes.

• Separate prosciutto from sheets. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto in a single layer. Cook until browned and crisped, 2-3 minutes per side. TIP: Work in batches if necessary. Press down on prosciutto with a spatula for even crisping. Lower heat if browning too quickly. • Turn off heat; transfer prosciutto to a paper-towel-lined plate. Thoroughly wipe out pan.

• Heat a ⅓-inch layer of oil in a pan used for prosciutto over medium-high heat. • Once oil is hot enough that a pinch of panko sizzles immediately when added to the pan, carefully add coated chicken. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side (you may need to work in batches for 4 servings). TIP: Lower heat if chicken begins to brown too quickly. • Turn off heat; transfer chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate.