1. Combine the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs, the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, the lemon zest and thyme, and set aside.
2. Pound the chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper until they are 1/4 inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.
3. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the prepared flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts.
5. Place the arugula in a large bowl. In a 1-cup glass measure, whisk together the 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour enough dressing on the arugula to moisten. Toss well.
6. Pile some arugula on top of each hot chicken breast. With a very sharp knife or a vegetable peeler, shave the chunk of Parmesan into large shards and arrange them on top of the arugula.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain and transfer to large bowl.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Season chicken with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Cook until golden and cooked through, 8 minutes per side. Let rest 10 minutes, then cut into 1″ pieces.
Add romaine, tomatoes, Parmesan, croutons, and chicken to pasta bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together Caesar dressing, lemon juice, and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Pour over penne mixture and toss to combine.
I have been in search of the perfect Chicken Marsala for years. I think one of the best ones I’ve had was at the Trevi Italian Restaurant in the Forum Shops in Las Vegas. I’ve yet to find something similar and believe me I’ve tried it at many different restaurants.
Since I can’t exactly fly off to Vegas every time I’ve a yen for Chicken Marsala I did the next best thing. I wend in search of the best Chicken Marsala recipe I could find. I’ve actually found several that were pretty good, but with a bit of tweaking here and there I was able to come up with this delicious recipe which everyone in my family loves. In fact it’s good enough to serve company which is what I did when my daughter’s in-laws came to visit. They loved it too!
First of all a little background on Chicken Marsala. I know it’s a classic Italian dish offered at many chain Italian restaurants like Magiano’s, Carabba’s, and Olive Garden. Like I said everyone seems to have their own version of this dish! But if you go to a local restaurant in Italy and asked for Chicken Marsala I’m pretty sure they won’t know what that is. I can’t recall seeing this dish at any of the restaurants in Italy, sort of like asking for Fettucine Alfedo, they don’t have that there!
Chicken Marsala is actually an Italian-American dish that is more than likely a variation of the traditional Italian Scaloppina dishes of which there are many versions in Italy. Chicken Marsala dates back from the 19th. Century and originated with English families who lived in Italy where Marsala wine is produced.
The dish is composed of thin slices of chicken breasts that are lightly floured and sauteed in a pan. It is then covered with a sauce made from a Marsala wine reduction. Some recipes call for the addition of mushrooms, herbs, and tomatoes. Really the variations are many, but I prefer the simplest variation with just mushrooms so that I can savor the lovely Marsala sauce.
When I make it at home I prefer to serve it with a simple garlic mashed potato side dish, but you can also serve it with a side of Poor Man’s pasta; a simple yet tasty pasta dish.
Combine Flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a shallow dish.
Melt 2 tbs. butter in the olive oil in a frying pan.
Pat chicken dry with paper towel and dredge thru flour mixture
Fry chicken breasts in oil butter mixture until both sides start to turn brown.
Remove from pan and place in a covered dish or pan.
Add 2 tbs. butter to the remaining oil and saute mushrooms until juices come out and mushrooms are cooked.
Add wine, chicken stock, and garlic to the mushrooms and simmer about 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half
Add heavy whipping cream and cornstarch mixture to the pan - it should slightly thicken. If it's too thick add up to 1/2 cup of wine to thin to desired consistency.
Return cooked chicken to pan and spoon sauce over it.
Chicken Milanese with Lemon Butter Sauce, wow! Sounds fancy doesn’t it? Sounds like something you’d order in a fancy Italian restaurant. It brings to mind the city of Milan, one of the world’s most fashionable city.
The name doesn’t lie, Chicken Milanese simply means Chicken made Milan style. It is one of the signature dishes of Milan; in Italian it’s called “Pollo alla Milanese”. Are you impressed yet? Traditionally it was made with veal, Cotoletta alla Milanese, but chicken has become a popular alternative.
Well let me tell you the first time I ever had Pollo alla Milanese was in a chic little restaurant in Cernobbio, a town on Lake Como about 40 kilometers away from Milan. And yes I ordered it because I thought with such a grand name it must be something different. Imagine my surprise when the waiter set a fried chicken cutlet in front of me and it didn’t even have any gravy!
Yup that’s what Pollo alla Milanese is, a battered and fried chicken cutlet. If we were talking Southern cooking it would be called chicken fried chicken and chicken fried steak if veal were used instead of chicken.
But because it’s an Italian style cutlet it’s not smothered in gravy and served with mashed potatoes and corn, like the perfect Southern comfort food. Instead it’s usually served with a bed of crisp fresh greens like an arugula salad. Instead of gravy they usually squeeze a slice of lemon over the cutlet or top it with a light lemony butter sauce. As far as I can determine that’s the only difference between chicken fried chicken and Chicken Milanese.
Well whatever you call it it’s still delicious! A bit fussy to make (you have to cut, pound, dredge, dip, bread, and fry) but so worth the time and trouble. I make it at home and serve it both ways, Milanese and fried cutlet with gravy, depending on what I’m hungry for. Either way my family loves them!
Here’s the recipe for Chicken Milanese with Lemon Butter Sauce!
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Ingredients:
4 Pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts – sliced horizontally to make 8 thin slices
2 Cups Flour
3 Eggs beaten
2 Cups Panko or breadcrumbs – I prefer Panko which can be found at Asian Markets, but bread crumbs work fine
1 Tbs Garlic Powder
2 Tbs Italian Seasoning
1/4 Cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Oil for frying
For the Sauce:
4 Tbs Butter
1 Tsp Minced Garlic
1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
1/2 Cup White Wine
1 Tsp Italian Seasoning
2 Tbs Lemon Juice
Salt & Pepper to taste
Procedure:
Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap – you will have to do this with 2-4 pieces at a time
Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap - you will have to do this with 2-4 pieces at a time
Using a kitchen mallet pound breasts to 1/4" thickness
Pounding chicken breasts between plastic wrap keeps chicken juices from splattering all over the kitchen counters.
Set aside while you get the other ingredients ready.
Mix flour and garlic powder together and place in a shallow dish or bowl
Beat eggs in another shallow dish or bowl
Mix Panko with grated cheese and Italian seasoning in another shallow dish or bowl
Line bowls up in order (flour, egg, Panko) next to the stove. This makes the frying process so much easier and neater.
place in a shallow dish or bowl
Beat eggs in another shallow dish or bowl
Mix Panko with grated cheese and Italian seasoning in another shallow dish or bowl
Line bowls up in order (flour, egg, Panko) next to the stove. This makes the frying process so much easier and neater.
Heat oil in a large frying pan. Oil will be hot enough if it sizzles when you drop a piece of panko in it.
Dredge a slice of chicken in flour making sure both sides are completely covered
Dip both sides of chicken in egg
Dip both sides of chicken in Panko mixture
Place in frying pan and fry both sides about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown
Drain on paper towel
Serve with Roasted Potatoes and Lemon Butter Sauce
Sauce
Melt 1 Tbl Butter in saucepan
Saute garlic in butter until it starts to brown
Stir in cream, stock, and wine until well combined
Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat
Whisk in remaining butter 1 tbs at a time
Stir in seasoning and lemon juice
Season with salt and pepper to taste
Serve over Chicken Milanese
Are you searching for that perfect dish to impress your guests with this summer? I know you want something that looks impressive but is fairly simple to make. You just want them to think you spent hours slaving away in the kitchen; but you really just want to pop something in the oven while you snuggle up to a good book. Well I’ve go the perfect dish for you! °
Well perhaps super easy is a bit of a stretch. You do have to put some effort into making stuffed chicken breasts, but not a whole lot, really I mean it. You probably have most of the ingredients in your kitchen already. With just a little bit of prep time (before popping everything in the oven) and a few minutes to make the sauce you will have time to sit down and read a book or take a short nap while it’s cooking.
You can serve this dish with a side of pasta for a very satisfying meal. Add a tossed salad and you’ve got a great meal to serve to friends and family! Seriously your main ingredients are garlic, mushrooms, cheese, and chicken what’s not to love?
Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap – you will have to do this with 2-4 pieces at a time
Mix flour and garlic powder together and place in a shallow dish or bowl
Place in frying pan and fry both sides about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown
Are you searching for that perfect dish to impress your guests with this summer? I know you want something that looks impressive but is fairly simple to make. You just want them to think you spent hours slaving away in the kitchen; but you really just want to pop something in the oven while you snuggle up to a good book. Well I’ve go the perfect dish for you! °
