Lemony Chicken Cutlets
"Browned chicken cutlets are flavored with fresh lemon juice, white wine, herbs, and spiked with capers. These simple, delicious cutlets go well with fresh steamed asparagus or saute'd zucchini."
- Ready In:
- 26mins
- Ingredients:
- 16
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- 3 whole chicken breasts (split, skinned, boned, fat removed)
- onion powder, to taste
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 lemons, divided
- 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
- 2 large garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 dash hot sauce (optional)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- vegetable oil
- 2 egg whites, lighly beaten
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- breadcrumbs
- 2 sprigs fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
- flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped (garnish)
directions
- Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
- Use a meat mallet to flatten the chicken between 2 sheets of waxed paper.
- Season the chicken with the onion powder, salt, and pepper; lay them in a deep bowl.
- To the chicken add the juice of one (1) lemon, wine, garlic, basil, and hot sauce (optional); marinate in the refrigerator for at least two (2) hours.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet heat the butter and about 3/4-inch oil over a medium flame. (DO NOT USE OLIVE OIL).
- Mix together the lemon zest and breadcrumbs on a rimmed flat dish. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade; dip in the egg whites one-at-a-time and press both sides in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Once the oil is hot, but not smoking, (COOK'S TIP: Flip breadcrumbs in oil; if oil boils violently, it is ready.), add the sage to the skillet and place each chicken breast, one-at-a-time, gently into the oil.
- Cook for one (1) minute on each side - DO NOT OVERCOOK. Transfer chicken to paper towels and blot off excess oil.
- Serve immediately on warmed dinner plates; give each breast a squeeze of lemon juice. Garnish with thinly-sliced lemon rounds; sprinkle capers and parsley over top.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
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It was at my Italian grandmother's apron strings, in the "Patterson, New Jersey region" of Italy, that I learned the secrets of creating real home style Italian dishes, and where my passion for food and my culture were nurtured.
Always kept neat as a pin, grandma's kitchen was the centerpiece of our social settings and the focal point of our lives together as a family. Yes, it was the heart of her home. There, friends and family exchanged news, grandchildren stood on stools over the counter and grated chunks of Romano and Parmesan cheese to be served with dinner, and under the watchful eye of grandma the women (young and old) planned and prepared mouthwatering menus that reflected the marvelous flavors and textures of Italian cooking.
On any given day tantalizing aromas would build and escape through her kitchen window, dance about the balcony and drift down onto the street; where men chatting on the corner of Putnum Street would stop in their tracks to inhale the mouth-watering fragrance. So many sumptuous meals were prepared in that modest, yet functional, kitchen.
If I close my eyes and think of Grandma's cooking, I can vividly recall some of those fragrant food memories: tomato sauce with meatballs and sausages simmering on the stove top; onions, peppers and garlic roasting in a fragrant pool of olive oil, Neapolitan pizza with vine-ripened tomatoes (from grandpa's garden), fresh garlic, basil, Parmesan and anchovies bubbling in the oven; Italian bread smothered with creamy butter, minced garlic, and fresh parsley toasting under the broiler ... "Yummmmm - Heaven in your mouth!"
Among the many recipes that I've collected over the years, are those that I hold especially near and dear. They are tattered, faded pieces of paper that provide a glimpse into my past -- Family recipes passed down from mother to daughter, granddaughter to great-granddaughter. Generations of my family's heritage are captured in grandma's recipes for flavorful soups (Minestrone, Pea, Ruccola); hearty meat, poultry and fish dishes (braciole, pot roast, chicken casseroles, seafood stews); fresh vegetable entrees and salads, and those baked goodies that bring a happy ending to every meal (Ricotta pies, Struffoli, Cenci, Pine Nut cookies). Whenever I am 'hungry' for "the good old days" or I want to soothe my soul after a tiring day, these are the comfort-recipes to which I turn.
I once heard it said: "What distinguishes great cooks from good cooks is that great cooks love to cook. Every meal is an opportunity to express that love." A credo that I am certain grandma lived by -- I believe that she prepared her meals to fill her family and friends with love. I am proud of grandma's spirit of "abbondanza" (an abundant table). Indeed, no one ever left grandma's table hungry.
I'd like to share with you some of the foods from my beloved grandmother's kitchen. Enjoy and make these Italian classic favorites in your own family's kitchen.
Buon appetito!
