Another dish Andrew enjoys is Chicken Milanese. We are big Food Network fans and often watch various cooking shows. Worst Cooks in America is one of our favorites for the comedic value, and we love the competition of Next Food Network Star but we also enjoy some of the basic demonstration cooking shows, too. Years ago, Eric watched Anne Burrell make this chicken. He found the recipe on-line and then made it. We all loved it.
Kelly & Andrew have both made it when they’ve wanted to make an elegant but not too hard meal for others. I keep a supply of the pickled onions in the refrigerator at all times. I use them on my daily lunch salads and they often find their way onto pizzas. They are best when they are prepared a day ahead of time to allow the onions to mellow and pick up the flavor of the vinegar.
Chicken Milanese with Salad and Pickled Red Onions (adapted from Anne Burrell’s Secrets of a Restaurant Chef) Prep Time: 25 minutes, Cook Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes, Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE PICKLED ONIONS
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 to 3 really good shots hot sauce
- 1 red onion, sliced into very thin rings
FOR THE CHICKEN MILANESE
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
The main players.
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 4 small chicken breasts, butterflied and lightly pounded to 1/4-inch thick
- Kosher salt
- canola oil, for frying
FOR THE SALAD
- 1/2 cup shaved parmesan
- 1 package spring mix lettuce, escarole, romaine or baby spinach
DIRECTIONS
To make the Pickled Onions: In a small bowl, combine the red wine vinegar with 1/2 cup of cold tap water. Stir in the salt, the sugar and the hot sauce. Add the sliced onions and let it sit for at least one hour. The longer the better.
Thinly slice a red onion.
To make the Chicken Milanese: Set up a standard breading procedure in 3 wide deep plates. Fill 1 plate with flour, 1 with the beaten eggs, and 1 with the panko and grated Parmigiano. Season the chicken breasts with salt. Using one hand for dry things and 1 hand for wet things, take each piece of chicken through the breading procedure: dredge lightly in the flour, then the egg wash and then through the bread crumbs.
Set up a production line for coating the chicken.
Pour olive oil into a large saute pan until it reaches a thickness of about a half an inch – more is better than less. Bring the oil up to a medium-high heat. Test the oil by flicking flour or bread crumbs into the oil. If it doesn’t sizzle-WAIT! When the oil is hot, test it again by dipping the edge of a piece of chicken into the oil, the oil should gently sizzle. Cook the chicken in the oil in batches on both sides until it is a lovely golden brown color and is crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Frying the chicken quickly.
Do not crowd the pan or the chicken will become very greasy and soggy. When the chicken comes out of the oil lay it on paper towels to drain off the excess oil. Put the chicken in a low oven to keep it warm while the rest of the chicken is cooking.
The chicken should be golden brown.
To serve: Place a piece of chicken on each plate and top with some salad mix and then some pickled onions. Sprinkle a bit of the pickled onion juice on the chicken & salad. Top it off with the shaved parmesan.
Love this meal!
The pickled onions are very versatile and pretty much keep forever! ~Linda
Chicken Milanese with Salad and Pickled Red Onions (adapted from Anne Burrell’s Secrets of a Restaurant Chef) Prep Time: 25 minutes, Cook Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes, Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE PICKLED ONIONS
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 to 3 really good shots hot sauce
- 1 red onion, sliced into very thin rings
FOR THE CHICKEN MILANESE
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 4 small chicken breasts, butterflied and lightly pounded to 1/4-inch thick
- Kosher salt
- canola oil, for frying
FOR THE SALAD
- 1/2 cup shaved parmesan
- 1 package spring mix lettuce, escarole, romaine or baby spinach
DIRECTIONS:
To make the Pickled Onions: In a small bowl, combine the red wine vinegar with 1/2 cup of cold tap water. Stir in the salt, the sugar and the hot sauce. Add the sliced onions and let it sit for at least one hour. The longer the better.
To make the Chicken Milanese: Set up a standard breading procedure in 3 wide deep plates. Fill 1 plate with flour, 1 with the beaten eggs, and 1 with the panko and grated Parmigiano. Season the chicken breasts with salt. Using one hand for dry things and 1 hand for wet things, take each piece of chicken through the breading procedure: dredge lightly in the flour, then the egg wash and then through the bread crumbs.
Pour olive oil into a large saute pan until it reaches a thickness of about a half an inch – more is better than less. Bring the oil up to a medium-high heat. Test the oil by flicking flour or bread crumbs into the oil. If it doesn’t sizzle-WAIT! When the oil is hot, test it again by dipping the edge of a piece of chicken into the oil, the oil should gently sizzle. Cook the chicken in the oil in batches on both sides until it is a lovely golden brown color and is crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Do not crowd the pan or the chicken will become very greasy and soggy. When the chicken comes out of the oil lay it on paper towels to drain off the excess oil. Put the chicken in a low oven to keep it warm while the rest of the chicken is cooking.
To serve: Place a piece of chicken on each plate and top with some salad mix and then some pickled onions. Sprinkle a bit of the pickled onion juice on the chicken & salad. Top it off with the shaved parmesan.