Thursday, June 19, 2008

Parmesan Chicken, Barefoot Contessa style



This is one of my favorite quick and easy meals to make. It's very tasty and can easily be made kid-friendly. I just love how the vinaigrette from the salad soaks into the breading on the chicken. I love the way the chicken tastes with the warm tossed salad on top. I think we'll have this again soon.

PARMESAN CHICKEN

adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

FOR CHICKEN:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 extra-large eggs

1 ¼ cups seasoned dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

unsalted butter

Good olive oil

Salad greens, washed and spun dry

FOR VINAIGRETTE:

¼ cup fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)

½ cup good olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  1. To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

  1. Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/2 inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin. You can pound the meat between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap.

  1. Combine the flour, salt, and 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 and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

  1. 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. Keep the chicken breasts warm for about 15 minutes on a sheet pan in a 200-degree oven. Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.
How I made this kid-friendly: I cut one of the breasts into about 6 small pieces. I dipped each tender in the flour mixture, then the egg, then the bread crumbs. (I waited until after I had prepared Franny's to add the parmesan, so it would be dairy-free.) Then I heated some margarine (yuck, again, only so franny's could be dairy free) and some olive oil and prepared some delicious chicken nuggets for the girls. They didn't even ask for ketchup! Then of course I added butter to the pan and parmesan to the bread crumbs for Bobby and I.

5 comments:

Kristen said...

This looks gooooood! I love Ina.

Shonda said...

Mmmm,I love Barefoot Contessa cookbooks. I have several, but don't actually cook. Sigh. Little Katherine, aren't you still 7 years old?? You've grown into a remarkable woman! I love reading about your darling family.

Carole said...

Ummmmm, this sound like my kind of chicken. I am going to try this. I love the Barefoot Contessa! I don't know how you find the time to do all you do. I love you,

Grandma

Chrissie said...

I made this and it was so delicious! My friend made it for me in Boston and I had been wanting the recipe. Thanks for posting it!

Melissa Savage said...

Hey Katherine, it's Melissa and Matt from BYU 105th ward! We found your blog through the Grace's blog. It looks like you guys are doing great! I've checked out some of your recipes and most intimidate me:) but I tried this one and it was soo good! I blogged about how good it was and linked it back to your blog. Good luck in your new house!

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