This dish is so easy to do. And oh so satisfying. Hot, crunchy chicken cutlets topped with a cool peppery arugula salad that gets creaminess from feta cheese and tang from a lemony vinaigrette. It’s a snap to put together and a complete meal on a plate. Yum.
Chicken Paillard
To make this dish even simpler than it already is, buy chicken cutlets that are already thinly sliced–if you can’t find them, you can use boneless, skinless breasts. Butterfly the breasts and pound them a little to thin them out. I prefer Bell & Evans or Murray’s chicken; this is one time where there’s no need for brining.
In a pie dish or shallow bowl, whisk a couple of eggs with milk, salt and pepper. In another plate or pie dish, season panko crumbs with salt and pepper too. You can use regular bread crumbs, but I think the panko are lighter and yield a better crunch.
In a hot pan–cast iron works beautifully here–add olive oil and butter. You don’t want to crowd the chicken as it cooks, so use two pans, if you have them, or cook the cutlets in batches. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture and then the panko crumbs to coat. When the foam from the butter subsides, saute the cutlets immediately in the pan.
While the chicken cooks, toss the arugula (another shortcut–I buy baby arugula that’s sold in a container, already triple washed) with halved cherry or grape tomatoes, diced kirby or seedless cucumbers, and chopped scallions. Be creative and add other vegetables if you like: bell peppers, radishes, avocado, red onion–just be sure to dice everything up.
I like to use my favorite feta cheese in this salad. It’s called Valbresso, from France, and I love it because it’s more creamy and less salty than the traditional Greek feta. Goat cheese is great in this dish too.
Whisk together an easy vinaigrette: pressed garlic clove, lemon juice, a bit of dijon mustard, salt and pepper, and extra virgin olive oil. Toss with the salad and top with the cheese.
Turn the cutlets over as they get golden brown and crispy on both sides. Serve them topped with a heaping mound of salad…my mouth waters just thinking about it!
Serves 4: