Byzantine Chicken Nouveau

This is easy to prepare with a delicious old world flavor. The flavors meld well together and the dish can be put together without a lot of fuss.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  lb chicken cutlet, thinly sliced
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
• 2 -3  eggs, lightly beaten (approx. for dipping in crumbs)
• 3 -4  large portabella mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1  large lemons or 2  small lemons
• 1⁄4 lb panko breadcrumbs or 1⁄4 lb  plain  unseasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 (13 3/4ounce) can chicken broth
• 3⁄4 cup  finely grated romano cheese
•  salt, to taste
•  pepper, to taste
• 1⁄2 cup olive oil (approx. for frying)
• 4  cups cooked white rice

Directions

1. Set a side a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish.
2. Season Panko or bread crumbs with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Heat olive oil in large frying pan or skillet.
4. Dip chicken in the beaten egg and then in the Panko or bread crumbs; frying as many cutlets at a time as you can do with enough room to turn the pieces over.
5. Fry about 4 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through; drain on paper towels.
6. Fry the sliced mushrooms in the skillet you fried the chicken in, adding more olive oil if needed; fry until tender but still firm not mushy.
7. Place the frozen chopped spinach in a pot and cook it using the the can of chicken broth and the juice from the lemon instead of any water, until tender.
8. Stir in the romano cheese until it dissolves into the broth; the cheese will also thicken the broth a bit.
9. Place the drained fried chicken in the 13 x 9 inch pan; place a layer of the fried mushrooms on top.
10. pour the chicken broth/spinach mixture over the top, spreading the spinach out evenly.
11. Serve with white rice, using the lemon/cheese/spinach mixture from the bottom of the baking pan as gravy for the rice.
12. Using the glass baking pan as a serving plater both simplifies holding the gravy for you but also allows you to hold it in a warm oven if you can't serve it immediately.