Chicken Breast Milanese With Green Olive Celery Relish Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
• Beat eggs with salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Spread flour in another dish and bread crumbs in a third dish.
• Working with one piece at a time, gently press chicken into the flour to coat and shake off the excess flour. Dip into the beaten egg, then press into bread crumbs. Gently toss between your hands so any bread crumbs that haven't stuck can fall away. Place the breaded chicken onto a plate while breading the rest; do not stack.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pan-fry chicken in batches of 2 or 3 pieces until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, about 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer cooked chicken to a baking sheet and keep warm in preheated oven while cooking remaining chicken.
• Serve with lemon wedges.

Steps:

• Put each chicken breast between 2 sheets of heavy plastic and pound them to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Trim any ragged edges. Season each breast on both sides with salt and pepper. If desired, place breasts in a bowl and cover with buttermilk and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 6 hours).
• Prepare the breading: Arrange 3 shallow bowls. Add flour to one bowl, then season it with salt and pepper and a little cayenne. In another bowl, beat the eggs. Fill the third bowl with bread crumbs.
• Drain the chicken. Dip each breast lightly into the seasoned flour, then into beaten egg and finally into the crumbs. Put breaded chicken on a baking sheet and sprinkle with more crumbs on both sides. Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to fry.
• Make the olive-celery relish: In a mixing bowl, combine olives, celery, garlic, orange zest, lemon zest, red pepper, oregano, lemon juice, parsley, mint and basil. Season with salt and pepper and stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Put a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil to a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Test the temperature by throwing a bread crumb into the oil - it should brown gently. Add breaded chicken breasts in one layer without crowding. Do not disturb them until they become golden and crisp on one side, about 3 minutes. Carefully turn with tongs and cook on the other side for 3 minutes more. Remove and drain breasts on absorbent paper. Give them a light sprinkling of salt.
• To serve, put 1 breast on each of 4 dinner plates. Top with 2 tablespoons green olive-celery relish and garnish with watercress and lemon wedges.

Steps:

• Make the breadcrumbs: Cut crust from baguettes. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes; pulse in a food processor in batches to form coarse crumbs (this should yield 5 to 6 cups). Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; dry at room temperature for at least an hour or as long as overnight.
• Prepare the chicken: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Working with one at a time, place chicken breasts on a cutting board, flat side down. Press down on chicken with the palm of one hand, and cut in half horizontally to make 2 cutlets.
• With the flat side of a meat pounder, pound chicken between pieces of plastic wrap until about 1/4 inch thick.
• Lightly beat 3 large eggs in a medium bowl. Place 2/3 cup all-purpose flour and breadcrumbs in 2 separate wide, shallow dishes. Season eggs, flour, and chicken with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dip into flour, turning to coat and shaking off excess. Dip into egg, and lift out, letting excess drip off. Dip into breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to help them adhere. Transfer to a plate or pan, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. If needed, separate layers with wax paper or parchment paper.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet (oil should be between 1/4 and 1/2 inch deep) over medium-high heat until shimmering; a breadcrumb should sizzle instantly when dropped into oil. Gently place 2 cutlets 3/4 to 1 inch apart in skillet, and fry until undersides are golden brown, 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. Flip cutlets, and fry until cooked through and golden brown on other side, about 2 1/2 minutes more (chicken should feel firm).
• Cutlets less than 1/4 inch thick will take 1 to 2 minutes less. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet, and pat off excess oil. Lightly sprinkle with coarse salt, and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining cutlets, skimming brown bits and adding more oil if necessary. Aside from a squeeze of fresh lemon, a simple salad is all you need with chicken Milanese.