Crispy Chicken Cutlets With Parmesan Polenta & Salsa Verde
The crispiest, fried chicken cutlets, served with creamy parmesan polenta & a punchy green sauce. This main course is easy to make & super tasty!
Servings: 4 Portions
Equipment
- Blender/Food Processor
- Juicer
- Large Saucepan
- Large Frying Pan
- Meat Tenderising Hammer (See Notes)
- Digital Food Probe
Ingredients
Salsa Verde
- 15 g Flat Leaf Parsley
- 10 g Mint Leaves
- 5 g Tarragon Leaves
- 60 g Olive Oil
- 20 g Gherkins
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 2 Anchovy Fillets
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Capers Drained
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
Chicken Cutlets
- 4 Chicken Breasts Boneless & Skinless
- 60 g Plain Flour
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 tbsp Milk
- 150 g Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp Mixed Italian Herbs See Notes
- Vegetable Oil To Cook
Cheesy Parmesan
- 500 g Chicken Stock
- 110 g Instant Polenta
- 35 g Butter
- 50 g Grated Parmesan
Instructions
Salsa Verde
- Place all of the salsa verde ingredients into a blender then blitz until smooth, pausing to scrape the sides down occasionally.
- Give the sauce a taste, to check the seasoning then add in salt & pepper as needed. Give the salsa verde one final blend then transfer to a container & store in the fridge until needed.
Chicken Cutlets
- Using a sharp knife, butterfly each chicken breast, making sure not to cut all the way through.
- Next, place a chicken breast between two pieces of baking parchment then pound with a meat tendering hammer (or a rolling pin) to a thickness of around 1 cm. Repeat this process with the remaining chicken.
- Next, prepare the pané station. To do this, take 3 bowls, fill one with the flour, one with the eggs & milk and another with the breadcrumbs & dried herbs. Beat the eggs with a fork then season each bowl with salt & pepper.
- Toss a piece of chicken in the flour then dunk in the egg. Lift the chicken out of the egg, letting the excess drain off then place into the bowl of breadcrumbs. Thoroughly coat the chicken with the breadcrumbs then place onto a tray. Repeat with the remaining cutlets.After bread crumbing, the chicken can be cooked straight away or stored in the fridge for up to one day.
- Place a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, add in a 1 cm layer of vegetable oil then leave for a minute or two, to get hot.We're going to be making the polenta at the same time as cooking the chicken. See below for instructions!
- Next, carefully add the breaded chicken into the oil then fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, until crisp & golden. A digital food probe inserted into the meat should read at least 75°c/167°f.Depending on the size of your pan, you'll probably need to fry the chicken in batches. But make sure not to overcrowd the pan!
- Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate lined with kitchen paper, allow to drain momentarily then season with sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper.
Parmesan Polenta
- Whilst your chicken is frying, add the chicken stock into a large saucepan, set over a high heat & bring to the boil.
- Next, gradually tip the polenta into the stock, whisking constantly as you do so then turn the heat down to low & cook out until thick, whisking frequently. This will take 4-5 minutes.The polenta should be the consistency of a creamy mashed potato once cooked. If it seems too thick, whisk in a splash of hot water.
- Once the polenta is cooked, whisk in the butter & grated parmesan then season with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper. Keep warm over a very gentle heat whilst you finish cooking the chicken.
Plating Up
- Lay out four large plates then spoon polenta into the centre of each one. Spread the polenta out with the back of a spoon then top with a chicken cutlet & a generous spoonful of salsa verde. Serve immediately.
Notes
1. Cooking On An Aga - Fry the chicken on the boiling plate & cook the polenta on the simmering plate.
2. Chicken - You'll need four chicken breasts for this recipe, with both the bones & skin removed.
3. Polenta - Make sure to use instant polenta as this cooks quicker than coarse ground. This is available in most supermarkets.
4. Making In Advance - The chicken can be breaded & the salsa verde can be made up to a day in advance & stored in the fridge.
5. Frying Pan - To fry the chicken, it's best to use a large frying pan or skillet. You'll probably need to cook the chicken two at a time. Once fried, the chicken should be served straight away or can be kept warm, covered with foil for 5-10 minutes.
6. Tenderising - A meat tenderising hammer works best for thinning out the chicken breasts. If you haven't got one, a rolling pin or something heavy (like a saucepan) will work as well.
7. Blender - If you have a nutribullet blender, these are perfect for pureeing sauces. A jug blender or a food processor will also work.
8. Dried Herbs (for breadcrumbs) - I used a pre made mix of Italian herbs to flavour my breadcrumbs, which I got from the supermarket. If you can't get these, dried oregano will work as well.