A well-cooked chicken cutlet is a thing of beauty! I would order one every time I saw it on a menu if I didn’t encounter so many that were overcooked and dry.
For at home, Ina Garten’s Chicken Piccata is one of my all-time favorite ways to prepare them. Even with the breading mess (at least in my chaos kitchen) it’s a simple dish that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner but elegant enough for a dinner party. Get you a chicken that can do both!
Inspired by the veal piccata she always ordered at The Palm in East Hampton, Ina pounds chicken breasts into ¼-inch-thick cutlets, dips them in flour, and then, in a break from more traditional piccata, coats them in egg and seasoned breadcrumbs before pan-searing until golden brown.
The cutlets then get a brief stint in the oven while you pull together the quick lemon, butter, and white wine sauce for drizzling over the top. The sauce is bright, buttery, and just sharp enough to cut through the crispy coating.
Sprinkled with parsley and served with a simple lemon-vinaigrette-dressed salad, it’s the perfect meal!
Book: Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 96
Rating: 5/5
How Easy Is That – Skill Level: Easy
How Easy Is That – Time Involved: 30 minutes
Store-Bought Is Fine: unsalted butter
Recipe on FoodNetwork.com
