This is a fresh spin on Chicken Parmesan without all the ooey, gooey loveliness that I adore. I really do love a good Chicken Parmesan dish. As a matter of fact I recall someone saying that this is the dish they order each time they go to a new Italian restaurant, judging the restaurant on how well they make it! Hmm...funny how I think about that every time I order one too.
Today's rendition has all the flavors of the traditional without the calories. Bringing in fresh tomatoes instead of a marinara sauce, and substituting fresh mozzarella balls for the melted cheese (hail to melted cheese..oops!) makes this dish light and bright and easy to assemble. So the traditional is for another day. Today we are going springtime fresh, quick and tasty!
Serve this quick dinner with a nice chopped Italian salad and some pita wedges and you are all set. I hope you really enjoy this version. It was a hit all around the block at my house.
If you're in the mood for the original version, I make a mean Chicken Parmigiana which you can find here.
Parmesan Chicken with a Tomato-Mozzarella Salad
Serves 4
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 (4 ounce) chicken cutlets or thin cut breasts
Salt and pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 Tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) cherry tomatoes, halved (I used mixed colors)
7 oz container fresh mozzarella balls, Bocconcini, cut in half
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
Place flour in a breading dish or pie plate. Beat eggs in a pie plate. Combine panko and Parmesan in a third pie plate. Make sure chicken is about 1/4" thick, if not pound to attain thinness. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, dip in egg, then coat with panko mixture, pressing to adhere.
Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil and 1 Tablespoon of butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook cutlets, 2 at a time until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Add another 1 Tablespoon of oil and remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter to the skillet and heat. Add remaining cutlets and cook 2 minutes per side.
Toss tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, balsamic vinegar, basil and remaining 1 Tablespoon oil together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, place chicken on a dinner plate and top with the tomato-mozzarella salad.
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