Chicken Milanasian

Veal Milanese is a Italian dish of pounded veal cutlets coated in bread crumbs and fried, a dish that is both tasty and quite plain. A bit of investigation on teh Innerwebs reveals that some cooks like to top the breaded meat with something a bit more flavorful, for example Nick Stellino's version with tomato pesto, or Rachael Ray's tomato/onion/basil sauce.

An Italian preparation topped with tomatoes seems like a real no-brainer, only I wasn't in the mood for Italian flavors. When the weather starts to get warmer, I really start craving the bright, exciting flavors of Southeast Asian food, particularly Kaffir lime and lemongrass. Why not add a healthy dose of the latter to some fresh tomatoes?  I wasn't going to use veal for a couple of reasons (I've long eschewed eating veal because of the barbaric practices involved in production; this site claims that things are different these days) and though I usually avoid boneless, skinless chicken breasts, this application is one of few that actually makes sense for that otherwise flavorless meat.

Chicken Milanasian 

Tomato topping
1.5 tablespoons lemongrass paste (Gourmet Garden)
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons honey
dash garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon fish sauce
salt
1 pint cherry, grape, or other miniature tomatoes, quartered
3 scallions, white and light green parts, finely chopped

Cutlets
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper
1 lb boneless skinless chicken or turkey breast scalloppine
2 tablespoons olive oil
additional chopped scallions or chives for garnish

Instructions:
Tomato topping:
In a medium bowl, stir together the first seven ingredients; season with salt to taste. (If the sauce seems too tangy, add more honey.) Gently fold in tomatoes and scallions. Set aside to marinate for about an hour at room temperature.

Chicken:
Create a dredging station: Season flour with salt and pepper and place on a plate. Put the egg in a bowl, and the panko on a separate plate. Dip each piece of poultry into flour first, patting off excess, then into beaten egg, then coat with panko crumbs. Set each piece on a clean plate until all are finished.

Heat one tablespoon of oil over high heat in a large sauté pan until oil sizzles when a couple flakes of panko are added. Add half the coated poultry pieces. Cook 2 minutes, then turn and cook other side an additional 2 minutes. Remove poultry to a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining oil and meat.

Serve cooked cutlets with a few spoonfuls of tomato topping. Garnish with chopped scallions or chives.
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I served the chicken atop leftover pasta that had been warmed up with a couple of tablespoons of leftover peanut sauce. Mmm!

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.