MY LOVE AFFAIR w/ CHICKEN CONTINUES - Chicken Parmesan

MY LOVE AFFAIR w/ CHICKEN CONTINUES

Chicken Parmesan

How do I love, thee?  Let me count the ways…

I love you roasted, broiled, stir-fried, picatta’d, marsala’d, stuffed, stewed, fricassee’d – in salads, sandwiches, pastas and soups – and a million other ways…  The other night, I loved you parmesan’d.

After searching through our library of cookbooks and finding no recipe for this dish so common in Italian restaurants, Richard decided to make the veal parmesan recipe in our newest cookbook – “Williams Sonoma Cooking At Home” – substituting the veal w/ boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

 
I can’t imagine the dish being any better.

CHICKEN PARMESAN

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¾ cup all-purpose flour

salt & ground pepper

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

8-12 thin slices fresh mozzarella

1 cup all-purpose tomato sauce

   (either homemade or your favorite bottled red sauce)

Directions:

One at a time, place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and flatten w/ a meat pounder til an even ¼ inch thick.  Put the flour in a shallow bowl and season w/ salt and pepper and a few tablespoons of the Parmesan.  Coat the chicken w/ the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.

In a large frying pan (or two) over medium-high heat, warm the oil.  Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, add the chicken and brown lightly on the first sides, about 2 minutes.

Turn the chicken, brown the second sides for 1 minute, and top with the mozzarella slices.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the cheese softens, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, warm the tomato sauce over medium-high heat.

Divide the veal among warmed individual plates and spoon the sauce evenly over the top.  Sprinkle w/ the remaining Parmesan and serve.  Richard chose to complement the chicken w/ sauteed lemon and garlic spinach.

Makes 4 servings

If you wish to make this veal parmesan – you need 1-1/2 lb. of veal scallops, about a ½ inch thick – the rest of the recipe remains the same and also makes 4 servings.