Better weather is upon us which means I have the same desire to cook, but using less heat. I like to do more light vs hearty fare and incorporate fresh greens into each dish. The Barefoot Contessa has a nice take on this recipe. It's so simple that I don't measure anything and I modify it on the fly. I'll do my best to approximate the measurements. But feel free to make this with abandon and leave the confines of your cup measurers behind!
I made this for myself and my husband, so serves 2. But very easy to scale up.
There are three basic parts to this dish, that could serve as a light dinner all on its own or a hearty but healthy lunch.
the Bird:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterfly (which makes kind of a nice heart shape)
- Salt and pepper to taste
the Bath:
in a shallow dish combine...
- 2 eggs beaten (I used 1/2 C egg beaters and had plenty left over, so try 1 egg)
- 2 T water
the Dredge:
in a shallow dish combine...
- 1/2 C bread crumbs (I used Whole Wheat)
- 1/4 C Parmesan (I used shredded)
- 1 T Italian Herbs
- 1/4 t Kosher Salt
- 1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
the Pan:
- 2 T regular Olive Oil or Peanut Oil (or any oil that can stand a higher temperature)
the Directions:
Place a wide bottom skillet over medium heat and add the 2 T of oil. Allow the pan to come to temperature. You will notice the oil moves more readily in the pan, there might be a wisp of smoke, there might be rippling of the oil.
Butterfly the chicken. This involves cutting the chicken almost in half along the length. This is a method of making the chicken thinner without pounding it to smithereens. If you accidentally cut the chicken entirely in half, no worries, you can serve two pieces to a person. Or just one for a light lunch portion. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and lightly dust both sides with kosher salt and pepper.
Starting with a dry bird means more bath will take hold of the chicken. The bath step will give the dredge something to adhere to. Dip the chicken on both sides in the bath. Coat thoroughly with the dredge, patting to make more stick. Shake off any excess. Add the breaded chicken to the hot oil. You should hear a good sizzle. Don't move the bird around the pan, we want a nice browning, but we don't want to lose any of the breading with excess agitation. Cook about 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Only flip once.
Now the Greens. Since the chicken is breaded, it's nice to pair this protein with something light and full of nutrients. Salad fills the bill. But, I don't want to overshadow the flavors in the breading, so the salad is relatively simple. Just a variety of greens and some cherry or grape tomatoes. Here's the details...
the Greens:
portion one or two healthy handful(s) per serving using a combination of the following...
- Spring Mix for color
- Romaine for crunch and a fork friendly texture
- Spinach for calcium, folic acid, vitamin K and iron among others. Adds depth of color and is a Super Food!
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes halved or quartered
- Parmesan, shredded
the Dressing:
toss with the greens (depends on how much greens you have, the following is for 2 servings of greens)...
- 2 t Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 t White Wine Vinegar
- 1 t Lime Juice
- 1 t French Herb vinaigrette blend
- pinch salt and few grinds of pepper
- Top with a pinch of shredded Parmesan
Tossing the dressing with the greens right before serving allows each leaf to become glossy and flavorful while allowing the bulk of the excess to stay in the bowl. You end up using less dressing at the expense of an additional bowl to clean. Particularly for creamy dressings, this equates to a caloric and fat savings which is well worth the extra mixing bowl clean-up.
Now, since there is starch in the breading and the greens are the veggie, you technically don't need to have other sides. I didn't think Tim would cotton to that idea so we also had left over risotto.
Enjoy!
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