Michael Symons Chicken Cutlet Milanese With Arugula Salad Food

CHICKEN MILANESE WITH ARUGULA SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss breadcrumbs and oil until well combined; spread on sheet. Cook, tossing once, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Place flour and eggs in separate bowls; season with salt and pepper. Place a rack on another rimmed baking sheet.
• One at a time, place chicken breasts between two large pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or bottom of a small heavy pan, pound until 1/2 inch thick. Coat chicken on both sides with flour (shaking off excess), then dip in eggs (allowing excess to drip off); dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to adhere.
• Bake chicken on rack, without turning, until opaque throughout, 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a bowl, whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Add arugula and onion; toss. Top chicken with salad; serve with lemon wedges on the side.

CHICKEN CUTLETS WITH SPICY ARUGULA

Steps:

• Put a chicken cutlet between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and, using a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet, pound it out about 1/4 inch thick. Season all over with some salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining 3 cutlets.
• Whisk the eggs in a large shallow bowl. Spread the panko in another large shallow bowl and stir in the grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning and basil. Have a large tray ready nearby. Dip a cutlet in the egg to coat all over, letting the excess drip off, and then press both sides into the panko, coating well. Set aside on the tray and repeat with the remaining 3 cutlets. Refrigerate the cutlets for 20 minutes.
• Set a large skillet over medium-high heat, add some canola oil and heat until hot (you can check by dropping in a little bit of the panko mixture; it should sizzle). Add 2 chicken cutlets and cook until the bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the other sides are golden brown and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 more minutes. Transfer each cutlet to a dinner plate.
• Carefully pour out and discard any remaining oil and crumbs in the skillet. Heat some more canola oil and cook the 2 remaining chicken cutlets. Top each cutlet with some Spicy Arugula and Parmesan shavings. Put a lemon wedge on each plate and serve.
• Put the lemon juice, shallots, Dijon mustard and some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
• Put the arugula in another bowl. Drizzle some of the dressing around the sides of the bowl. Toss to lightly coat the arugula; taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

LIZZIE'S CHICKEN CUTLETS

Steps:

• Set up your grill for cooking with direct and indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise, so you have thinner chicken cutlets. Cover the chicken breasts with plastic wrap and gently pound out to an even thickness, about 1/4 inch.
• To a mixing bowl, add the flour, garlic powder, 2 teaspoons paprika and 1 teaspoon curry powder. Season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine well. To another mixing bowl, add the breadcrumbs, remaining 2 teaspoons paprika and remaining teaspoon curry powder. Season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine well. Whisk together the eggs and mustard in another mixing bowl.
• Place a large cast-iron pan on the direct-heat side of the grill to preheat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge the chicken in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumb mixture, shaking off any excess in between. When the pan is hot, add enough olive oil so that it's 1/2-inch deep. Bring the oil to 350 degrees F, then add half the chicken, leaving plenty of space in between. Cook the chicken until golden brown, then flip and brown on the other side, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet to drain off any extra oil. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding additional olive oil to the pan, if needed. Serve and enjoy!

CHICKEN MILANESE WITH SALSA ROSA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• With a meat mallet or a rolling pin, pound the chicken cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap to 1/8-inch thickness. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper and press the seasonings into the meat with your fingers.
• Make the coating: Combine the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Work in the olive oil by hand, then spread the mixture on a dinner plate. Spread the flour on another dinner plate. Break the eggs into a shallow bowl and beat lightly. Dip the cutlets in the flour, coating both sides and shaking off the excess. Then dip in the egg, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. Finally, coat the cutlets on both sides with the seasoned bread crumbs, pressing them into place. As each cutlet is coated, place it on a tray. Cover the cutlets and refrigerate until you are ready to fry them.
• Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add olive oil to a depth of 1/4-inch. When the oil is almost smoking, add as many cutlets as the skillet will hold comfortably; do not crowd the pan. Cook until the cutlets are golden on the bottom, about 1 minute. Turn and cook on the second side about 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. With tongs, lift the cutlets as they are done, allowing any excess oil to drain back into the skillet, and transfer to cookie sheet lined with paper bag to drain excess oil. Repeat with the remaining cutlets.
• When ready to serve, place chicken cutlets on cookie sheet to finish cooking, about 2 minutes.
• Place the arugula in a large bowl. Drizzle with enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat the leaves lightly. Add a squeeze of lemon and some salt and pepper. Toss, taste, and adjust the seasoning.
• Divide the cutlets among 4 plates, placing them in the center. Spoon a little Salsa Rosa on each side of the cutlets. Mound the arugula salad on top. With a vegetable peeler, shave a little Parmesan on top of the salad.
• Michael's Notes: If you like my version of Chicken Milanese, and I know you will, try the same method on pounded veal, turkey breasts or on very thin swordfish steaks.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush the bell peppers lightly with olive oil and place on the baking sheet. Bake, turning every 10 to 15 minutes, until the peppers are blistered all over, about 30 minutes total. Transfer the peppers to a brown paper bag, and close tightly so they steam as they cool. You can roast the peppers under the broiler or over a gas flame, if you prefer, but I like to do them in a hot oven. It takes a little longer, but you don't have to monitor them as closely.
• While peppers are steaming, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over high heat. Add the whole chiles, lower the heat to moderate, and cook, turning occasionally, until the chiles are softened, lightly browned, and blistered on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the chilies cool in the oil for several minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the stems.
• Add more oil to the skillet, if needed, to make 2 tablespoons. Reheat the oil over moderate heat and add the garlic. Cook until lightly browned, about 30 seconds, then add the oregano and saute briefly to release its fragrance. Add the tomato puree and salt, bring to a simmer, and simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
• Remove peppers from bag, peel and remove the stems, seeds, and ribs; avoid the temptation to rinse the peppers, which would wash away flavor. You should have about 4 cups.
• Combine the red peppers, serrano chiles, and tomato sauce in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the vinegar and the black pepper to taste and puree again. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
• Yield: about 4 cups

CHICKEN CUTLETS MILANESE

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl or pie plate, lightly beat the eggs with the milk.
• In a separate bowl or on a sheet of waxed paper, combine the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, oregano and salt.
• Dip the chicken first in the egg mixture, then in the Parmesan mixture, until well coated. (You can do this up to 4 hours ahead of cooking, then place the coated chicken on a plate, cover loosely, and refrigerate).
• In a 10-inch skillet, heat 1 tbs. of the oil over MEDIUM heat until hot but not smoking.
• Add 2 pieces of chicken and saute until golden brown and just cooked through, about 1 1/2 mins per side.
• With tongs or a kitchen fork, transfer the cooked chicken to a platter. Repeat, using 1 tbs. of oil for every 2 pieces of chicken.
• Divide evenly among 4 dinner plates and serve with lemon wedges, if you like.