In 2012, I posted a recipe for Paillard of Sirloin Milanese served with a tomato relish, found here. Although I didn't write it into the title, it was also low carb and substituted soy flour for wheat flour that would be found in the original Italian recipe - which would be made with veal, not beef. Chicken Milanese is more of an American invention. The Milan style means thin slices of meat are dredged in flour, dipped in an egg wash, coated in bread crumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese and then fried in butter. I find that soy flour is not necessarily a perfect substitute for wheat flour, however. It burns easily and so must be cooked at a lower temperature. That's fine for beef, but the thin slices of chicken breasts really do better with a heartier coating and at a higher temperature, something I had not yet discovered when I posted my Chick-Fil-A Rip Off-Recipe, found here, which was very similar to my Sirloin method.
Thus for this recipe, I omit the first dredge and go straight to the egg wash with a 50/50 coating of finely ground pork rinds and Parmesan cheese to keep this recipe low carb. I also used a half and half mixture of olive oil and butter, which raises the smoking point of the cooking oil that allows you to maintain a high heat for most of the cooking time.
One important feature of this recipe is to spritz it before serving with a little fresh lemon juice. Don't omit that. It makes all the difference!
Ingredients
For the Chicken
3 medium to large chicken breasts (10-12 oz each)
1-1/2 cups pork rinds, finely crushed
1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (like, the Kraft green can)
2 eggs, beaten
6 tbs butter
4 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1/2 fresh lemon
Ingredients
For the Sautéed Zucchini
2 large zucchini, peel on, sliced thinly into coins
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly into rings
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp ground oregano
3 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
The Recipes
Place each chicken breast on a cutting board and stabilize it by laying your hand on top, then cut each breast in half horizontally.
Lay each piece of chicken in-between two sheets of cling wrap, then use a meat mallet to hammer the chicken into an evenly thin piece, about 1/4 inch thick.
Blend the pork rinds and Parmesan cheese together in a large mixing bowl. Crack the eggs into another mixing bowl and whisk until homogenized.
Dredge each chicken piece in the egg wash, and then into the pork rind-Parmesan coating. Don't press the coating into the chicken. Just ensure the chicken piece is thoroughly coated and shake off any extra.
Lay each piece out on paper plates without stacking them, and put the chicken into the fridge to dry out and firm up a bit, maybe fifteen minutes while you start cooking the zucchini.
Bring 3 tbsp olive oil to shimmering in a large skillet over medium high heat. You need a skillet that has a lid.
Sauté the onion rings until they become caramelized, about ten minutes. Toss in the zucchini and stir fry until they are beginning to pick up some color, about another five minutes.. Add the garlic powder and oregano, stir well to combine, then cap the skillet with its lid. Turn the heat to low and leave it covered while you cook the chicken.
Bring the 4 tablespoons of olive oil and just 4 tablespoons of butter to a shimmer over high heat in a skillet large enough for two pieces of chicken. Reserve 2 tablespoons of butter.
Cook the chicken in three batches for 2 minutes per side. The coating should be a golden brown color when you turn it. If it's still too blonde, give that side another minute in the hot oil. Give each piece of chicken a dusting of sea salt and ground black pepper when you first put the chicken in the skillet, and again, when you turn it.
Allow the chicken pieces to rest on a warm platter, kept in a 250 degree oven while you finish cooking the other slices. Before you put the next two slices in the skillet, add one tablespoon of butter.
You'll find that the oil is getting pretty hot by the time you get to your third batch of chicken pieces, so here is where you might need to drop the temperature to medium high. Again, add the last tablespoon of butter to the skillet before proceeding with cooking the third batch.
The zucchini will be thoroughly cooked by now. Serve it along side one or two pieces of the Chicken Milanese but before whisking the plate away to the table, spritz the chicken with a little fresh lemon juice all over. You don't need much. But you do need it!
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