This week I made Milanese Style Chicken Breasts, which is one of my favorite ways to prepare chicken breasts. They have so much flavor and texture. Milanese is defined as a characteristic of the Italian city of Milan. So, this is an Italian dish, from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Preparing something Milanese means to dredge thin slices of meat in egg and seasoned bread crumbs and frying it, which is precisely what I did.
I make this dish a lot. It's a great weeknight dinner. I don't use a recipe, but I did turn to MTAFC for guidance. I started by brining the chicken breasts for 30 minutes. Chicken breasts get a bad wrap because they don't have as much flavor as chicken thighs. However, I love love chicken breasts. They are lean and can be really flavorful and delicious if prepared well. I think brining them is critical. It takes 30 minutes, and it's relatively hands-off. I use two tablespoons of kosher salt and two tablespoons of granulated sugar, dissolved in about one and a half cups of water. I submerge the chicken breasts in the brining solution and put them in the fridge while I prep the rest of my dinner.
Once the chicken is brined, I dry it off thoroughly and pound it out to about ¼ of an inch thick. I season it with salt and pepper. I dredge the chicken breasts in flour and then an egg. For the final coating, I use a 1:1 combination of Japanese breadcrumbs, Panko, and finely grated Parmesan cheese. The Parmesan Cheese adds terrific flavor and texture when fried. Once the chicken is well coated, I pan fry in a cast-iron skillet with olive oil until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160˚.
I keep the chicken breasts warm in a low oven on a baking sheet with a rack to maintain the crispy texture while I prepare the sauce. For the sauce, I use chicken stock and lemon juice to deglaze the pan. While the sauce cooks, I scrap up any browned bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. I also add dijon mustard and whisk until well combined and smooth. Once everything is homogenous and reduced by about half, I strain the sauce, wipe out the pan, and return the sauce to the pan. I add cold, small diced butter and swirl until combined. The butter helps thicken the sauce slightly and creates a velvety texture. I use the sauce to coat washed, dried, and chopped romaine lettuce. I top the salad with thin slices of parmesan cheese. I use any remaining sauce to top the chicken breasts. And that's it! It's so delicious and is a great weeknight dinner.
Next week, I'll be making Cast-Iron Steak! It's going to be delicious, for sure!
A note about COVID-19, my family is quarantined and has been for the last couple of weeks. We're getting out for walks around the neighborhood, but that's about it. As far as classes go, I haven't had any yet, but they will resume next week online. The week of March 16 was Spring Break, and the week of March 23, ICI was closed to give the instructors time to prepare for online classes. Right now, we're just taking life one day at a time, trying to remain grateful and hopeful, while also feeling anxious and scared for this new world.