There use to be an Italian Resteraunt in Highland Park, NJ, five minutes from our house. They had the best Italain food, and on Friday and Saturday night they had a blues singer named Jackie, who in her sultry voice could belt out Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday with striking similarity, that you would swear you were at some smoky jazz club sitting front row listening to them sing.
One of mine and my daughter’s favoritist things on the menu at Italian Bistro was the Chicken Milanese. It was served over a simple mesclun salad with tomato and cucumber, and a lemon vinaigrette, but the chicken was the star of that plate, it was the tenderest, most delicous Chicken Milanese I ever had. Sadly the restraunt closed after a landlord dispute, we were beyond sad! I have tried to replicate it and I think I have come pretty damn close.
I chose to put mine over a massaged kale salad becasue I found the most amazing Tuscan Kale in my farmer’s market and I have fresh Parmaggino Regiano cheese that I will shave over the top, with some heirloom tomatoes, and diced cucumbers. Massaging the kale with your hands is not only theraputic, but yeilds the most tenderest kale you will ever eat without cooking it. It is the best way I know to preserve all of the flavor and nutrients of the kale without cooking out the vitamins.
Sometimes the most simplistic ways are truly the best. I hope you will try this dish. It is perfect for a lunch or a lite dinner. Don’t let the simplicity of it fool you. It is amazing and will soon be a family favorite. I enjoy mine with a nice glass of Pinot Grigio.
Life is good my friends when you can cook love to eat, and share your food with the ones you love! Amore! Mangia!
Sinfully,
Susan xoxo
Chicken Milanese with Massaged Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
An Italian Classic, that's quick, easy, and oh so delish!
Ingredients
- 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced thin and pounded flat with meat mallot or cast iron skillet.
- 2 cups of panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup of peccarino romano cheese
- 2/3 cup of flour
- 3 eggs
- 2 dashes of hot pepper sauce (optional)
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
- EVVO for frying
For the Massaged Kale Salad
- 1 large head of Tuscan or regular Kale, stems removed rinsed and dried, torn, placed in a large mixing bowl
- 1 half of an English cuccumber diced
- 1 cup of heirloom cherry tomatoes halved
- long slivers of Parmigano Regiano cheese done with a potato peeler
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
- In a 3 seperate pie pans or similar vessel, add flour mixed with Kosher salt and black pepper. To the second, beat three eggs add in hot sauce, in the other add panko bread crumbs and grated cheese.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, tapping off excess. Dip in egg, then in panko and set aside on baking sheet lined with baking rack.
- Heat a tbsp. of EVOO in large frying pan. Fry 3 to 4 minutes per side before disturbing. Move finished chicke to baking sheet lined with wire rack, keep warm in 250 degree oven.
- Serve immediately with Massaged Kale Salad and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
For the Massaged Kale Salad with lemon Vinaigrette
- In the bowl with the kale, add Kosher salt to taste, and a tsp. of EVOO. Begin to gently massage the salt and EVOO into the kale betweeen your fingers, making sure to soften each peice of kale.
- Add in cucumbers, tomatoes, and cheese.
- Toss well, add cracked black pepper add, the lemon vinaigrette, toss lightly.
- My vinagarette: In a large bowl, whisk the juice of one lemon, a tsp. of Dijon mustard, salt and pepper, whisking in a steady stream of EVOO to form an immulsion. Transfer any extras to a mason jar. Keeps well for three weeks in fridge.
- Serve immediately with Chicken Milanese and devour! Mangia.
Directions
CRAZYSEXYSAVOR 