Chicken Cutlets with Tomato and Basil Salad
I can’t believe I’ve been writing this blog for this long without posting this chicken cutlet recipe! I make these all of the time – winter, spring, summer and fall. Breaded chicken cutlets are sort of like dumplings – every culture has their own version. In Italy – chicken milanese, in Austria – schnitzel, in Brooklyn – a breaded chicken cutlet. Call it whatever you want.
In the summer I love pairing them with a raw tomato salad. As a teenager, I used to get this dish almost every time I went to my favorite Italian restaurant on Long Island and I have been trying to recreate it ever since.
For the chicken cutlets:
1 1/2 lb. chicken cutlets, pounded thin
1/2 cup (ish) flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup (ish) bread crumbs (Progresso Italian Style or 4C Seasoned – seriously, go with old-school here)
1/4 cup (or more) vegetable oil (enough so that the skillet is covered)
Note: Only cook 2 or 3 cutlets at a time so that you don’t crowd the skillet. Leave a plate in the oven on a low temperature to keep your finished cutlets warm.
Place eggs, flour and bread crumbs in their own dish or on a plate and season each with salt and pepper. Season the chicken, on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Dip the chicken, on both sides, into the flour, shaking the excess off. Then dip the chicken into the egg on both sides, letting the excess drip off. And, finally dip the chicken into the bread crumbs. Place cutlets carefully into the skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until one side is nicely browned. Turn chicken over and cook for another 2 minutes, or so. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
For the tomato salad:
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 small-medium red onion, sliced thin
2 TB. (or more) balsamic vinegar
several basil leaves, torn
salt and pepper, to taste
Toss all of the above ingredients together and let sit while you are preparing the chicken so the flavors meld together.
Steamed Green Beans
1 lb. green beans, trimmed and halved if very long
1 Tb. butter
salt and pepper
Over medium-high heat, place beans in a steamer basket set in a pot with enough water to almost touch the beans, cover. It should take between 5-10 minutes for the water to come to a boil and steam the green beans until they are tender, but keep an eye on them so they don’t overcook and become limp. Remove from basket and toss with butter, salt and pepper.
