Chicken Milanese

OH SO GOOD! I saw Chef Anne Burrell making this on TV and I just knew I needed to give it a try. It is so exciting to me to serve a nice restaurant style meal that I made in my own home. This recipe reminded me a lot of the Tonkatsu (pork). It is a lot the same process, but I thought it was smart to season the meat ahead of time, and include Parmesan in the panko. It was so tender and delicious! You've gotta try this one!

Chicken Milanese (By Chef Anne Burrell)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 small organic chicken breasts, butterflied and lightly pounded to 1/4-inch thick
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying
1 tablespoon butter

Set up a standard breading procedure in 3 wide deep plates. Fill 1 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. Lay the breaded chicken on a sheet tray and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Pour olive oil into a large saute pan until it reaches a thickness of about a half an inch - better a little more rather than a little less. Bring to a medium-high heat and add butter. 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 and sprinkle with salt. You can keep the chicken in a low oven to keep it warm while the rest of the chicken is cooking.