- 2 chicken breasts or 4 thighs,
- boneless and skinless
- flour for dredging
- salt and pepper (preferably white)
- to taste
- 1/4 c. finely grated pecorino romano cheese OR parmegiano reggiano
- 1 very large egg, beaten, plus
- additional if needed
- 1/4 c. olive oil, plus additional if needed
- lemon wedges
For the sauce, optional
- 1/4 c. dry white wine or vermouth
- 1 c. chicken stock
- 1 T. lemon juice
- 2 T. chilled unsalted butter, cut into bits
- 2 T. chopped parsley, optional, for garnish
For
the chicken:Pound the chicken between sheets of parchment or waxed
paper with a mallet or small heavy skillet until thin and of even
thickness. Cut into 2 or 3 equal pieces. Season the flour with salt and
pepper to taste and put on a paper towel or parchment sheet. Whisk
together the egg and cheese on another large shallow plate. Set the
flour mixture and the egg mixture next to each other.
Heat
the oil in a very large skillet or two smaller skillets over medium
high heat. You may need to add a little additional oil, but it
shouldn’t be more than 1/8- inch deep. While the oil is heating, dredge
the chicken pieces in the flour and shake off the excess. Then dip the
pieces in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off. Add to the oil
when it is hot but not smoking. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. It
may be necessary to do this in batches, depending of the size of your
skillet(s). Cook until the pieces are golden on the outside, turning
once. Depending on their thickness, this should only take about 2-3
minutes per side. When they are done, remove the cutlets and drain in a
single layer on paper towels, keeping them warm. The chicken can now be
served as is, with wedges of lemon on the side, or with the following
simple pan sauce.
Pour off the oil from the skillet and return
the skillet to the heat. Add the wine, chicken stock and lemon juice
and bring to a boil, stirring up any browned bits from the bottom. Boil
the sauce until it is thickened and reduced to a glaze, about 1/2 c.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter. Depending on your
preference, the cutlets can be added to the pan and coated with the
sauce, any remaining sauce drizzled over the top; with the sauce
drizzled over the top; or with the sauce on the side. Sprinkle with the
parsley and serve with lemon wedges, if desired. Serves 2 - 4.
Note:
“alla francese” preparation can be used with veal, turkey or pork
cutlets and is sometimes even used with large butterflied shrimp.
