RECIPE: EASY CHICKEN MILANESE (CHICKEN CUTLETS)

One of my all time favorite dishes from my travels to Argentina is Chicken Milanese. We call it Chicken Cutlets here in the states. It is one of the easiest and best ways to fry chicken and it is so good, too! You can skip the flour, if you prefer, and start with the egg but if you do, be certain to season your breadcrumbs with salt and pepper. Best of all, you can make a big batch of these and freeze some for later. After you have coated the chicken, simply spread them out on a pan lined with parchment paper and freeze for 8 hours. Then place them in a freezer bag and use them when you need to get dinner on the table fast!

EASY CHICKEN MILANESE

Easy Chicken Milanese (Chicken Cutlets/Thin Chicken Breasts) are so fast, so easy, and so good!

Special tools: plastic wrap, meat mallet or other utensil for pounding, I use a rolling pin

INGREDIENTS

6 boneless chicken breasts, get thin ones if you can find them

1 cup all purpose flour

3 eggs, beaten

2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence, or a mix of dried thyme and rosemary

Oil for frying, canola is good or a mixture of canola and olive oil is nice

Serve with marinara, arugula, Parmesan cheese shards, lemon wedges

DIRECTIONS:

If the breasts are very thick, butterfly them before you start or slice in half, across the middle (horizontally) to create two pieces. Place plastic wrap on the counter. I use a ziptop bag with the sides cut open because it is thicker and does not tear. Place the chicken breast in the center on one side and cover with the other side. Use a mallet or other tool, (I use a rolling pin) to pound the chicken but don’t be aggressive or tear it. It should be about 1/2 inch thick.

Set up a baking sheet with a wire rack on top.

Set up a dredge station using shallow dishes: one for the flour, one for the egg, and one for the breadcrumbs. Add salt and pepper to the flour and mix together. Add the Herbs de Provence to the breadcrumbs and stir to mix. Take 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs and put in a zip top bag. Roll over them or use your mallet to crush them a bit so they are a finer texture than the Panko. Return to the dish and stir to mix.

Dredge the chicken, one piece at a time in the flour. Shake off excess. Dip both sides into the beaten eggs, shake off excess. Place in the breadcrumbs and press down slightly, making sure both sides are well coated with breadcrumbs. Shake off excess.

Remove to the wire rack and complete the other five pieces in the same way. It is better if the chicken sits for 10 minutes before frying.

Add oil to your pan, you will need to add enough to go about 1/4 inch up the side of the pan. For my pan, it was a 1/2 cup.

Bring the oil to 350˚ Fahrenheit, or when it waves, but not smoking. If you get it too hot, turn off the burner for a few minutes and let it cool down before frying or you’ll burn the breadcrumbs before the chicken is completely done inside. The chicken is very thin, so it only takes about 3 minutes per side. Let it brown completely before turning.

Remove to the prepared rack but don’t put it on paper towels or you will have a soggy rather than crunchy exterior.

Serve with arugula, shaved Parmesan chards, lemon, and my easy Marriage Proposal Marinara. Okay to use store bought marinara or whatever you have.

RECIPE: CHICKEN & BUTTERNUT SQUASH CURRY IN A HURRY

I absolutely love curry. And now that I’ve learned how to make it easy and fast, I make it often. My mom would occasionally make curry but I found my love of curry from trips to—- wait for it—- London. There are so many great Indian restaurants in England; cute neighborhood places where my friends would often take me for a “Ruby Murray” which is British rhyming slang for a curry. This recipe transports me back to those cozy little spots with big tables full of incredible curry dishes of all kinds, complete with spices, condiments, and good friends.

CURRY IN A HURRY

Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rice, made to package instructions

Two large chicken breasts, diced into big pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil

1 yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons minced ginger

3 cups butternut squash, grated

5 whole canned tomatoes

1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (may need a bit more)

2 teaspoons curry powder or to your taste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

salt and pepper to taste

Pinch red pepper flakes or use your favorite heat- cayenne is also good

1/2 can coconut milk, shake well before using (about 1 cup- it is optional)

2 cups fresh spinach

1 cup frozen green peas

fresh scallions and lime for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Cube and brown the chicken in olive oil over medium high heat.

Add onion, garlic, ginger and cook until those are just soft and onions translucent. Add the butternut squash. and cook for 2-3 minutes until it wilts down. Crush in 4-5 whole (canned) tomatoes. I always add a bit of the liquid from the can also. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Start seasoning— add curry powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, salt, and a little heat -whatever kind you prefer-all to taste. I added red pepper flakes for the heat. Stir well. Taste. Adjust seasoning.

Add a bit more broth- you will want plenty of “sauce”... Add fresh spinach leaves, frozen green peas toward the end so they just heat through and stay green. Finish with the coconut milk if you have it— it is optional. Serve over hot rice and garnish with chopped scallions and a squeeze of lime juice.

RECIPE: CLASSIC CHICKEN POT PIE

Who says pie has to be sweet? Some of my favorite pies are savory... pizza, for example. My mom used to make the best chicken pot pie from leftover chicken. She'd whip up that crust so quickly, it all seemed to come together in a moment. You can take some shortcuts with this recipe- like using rotisserie chicken, using frozen vegetables, or a store bought crust instead of making a crust—- but I wouldn't. Make it when you have plenty of time. I found the process to be almost as lovely as eating it.

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CLASSIC CHICKEN POT PIE

INGREDIENTS

4 large chicken breasts on the bone, skin-on  (this keeps the chicken juicy)

3 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 cups chicken broth plus 1/2 cup optional

1 cup milk (I used 2%)

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

2 cups yellow onion, chopped

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups carrots, diced

2 potatoes, peeled and diced medium -sized

1 small onion, diced

1 1/2 cup fresh green peas (you can use frozen if you have to)

1 teaspoon thyme (I used fresh- you can use dried but use less)

For the pastry: (Double this for a two-crust pie or if you have a large dish)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus more for dusting

1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cubed

3-4 tablespoons ice water, added a little at a time

1 egg beaten for egg wash

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

For the pastry: Mix the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse to combine. Add butter a few cubes at a time, pulsing 10 times between each addition. With the motor running, add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time. Process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Be careful to get enough water but not too much. The crust will tear easily as you handle it if there is not enough water. Dump the dough out onto a floured piece of plastic wrap and form quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap. Set aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

Allow the dough to sit out for 3 minutes before you roll it out onto a floured surface. *REPEAT this process if you want a bottom crust for the pie.

For the chicken: Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove. Add the carrots and the 1 small diced onion to the drippings and roast for another 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through and the carrots are fork tender. Remove and allow the chicken to cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones and shred or dice it.

For the sauce:: In a small saucepan, heat the chicken broth. Add bouillon cubes and dissolve completely. Fill another pan half full with water and bring to a boil. Add the peas. Cook for 3 minutes. Remove the peas and rinse to stop the cooking process. Set aside. In a large pot, melt the butter and sauté the onions and carrots over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until softened. Make a roux by whisking in the flour; cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes to cook the flour but do not brown the flour. You want a pale blonde color to your roux. Add the hot chicken broth to the sauce, whisking it in a little at a time. Simmer over low heat for 2-3 more minutes, stirring, until thickened. You may need to add more stock- depending on how thick you want your sauce. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Taste. If you need to adjust the seasoning, this is the time to do that.

Add the chicken, potatoes, peas, onions and thyme. Mix together carefully. Check seasoning. Add more salt or pepper as needed.

Prep your baking dish by greasing the bottom and sides with butter or use a cooking spray if you prefer. You can either make this in one large baking dish or divide the filling between 4-5 small ovenproof dishes for individual servings. 

*If you are using a bottom crust, shape it to fit the dish or you can just cut it into strips and line the bottom of the dish. Use a fork to prick the dough and bake for 10-12 minutes or until it turns light brown.

Spoon the filling into the prepared dish. If you are using a bottom crust or if you like a very moist filling, you can add 1/2 cup chicken broth over the filling before topping with the crust.

For family style dish, roll the dough into a shape large enough to fit over your dish and to drape over the sides by 1 inch all the way around. For individual servings: divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Place the circle on top of the dish and trim 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Using your thumb and pointer finger on one hand and your pointer finger of the other hand, crimp the edges of the dough to make a pretty edge or simply fold the dough over the side, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with a scant pinch of sea salt and/or cracked pepper if you like. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot. The cook time will depend on the size of your dish. If the edges start to turn too brown, you can cover just the edges with a bit of aluminum foil.