On a lighter note

I felt like taking a break from my recent run of one-pot dishes with this quick and healthy (relatively, anyway) weeknight supper. It’s hard to go wrong with breaded and fried chicken, whether its classic chicken parm or its northern cousin schnitzel. In this case, the crunchy, moist chicken floats on a bed of tart greens. Crisp and sweet apples add a seasonal touch to the salad.


Chicken Parmigiana with green salad with apples
Serves 2

• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 medium boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Kosher salt
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• A couple of large handfuls of salad greens (arugula or spinach)
• One medium sized apple, cored and sliced
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil

1. Whisk together the egg and milk in a large, shallow dish. In a separate dish, mix together the panko, cheese and pepper.
2. Slice the chicken breast in half on its horizontal axis so that you have two thin fillets. Gently pound out the chicken breasts to an even thickness with kitchen mallet and season generously with salt and pepper. Dip each chicken breast into the flour to coat and shake off any excess, then into the egg wash, and then into the panko mixture, patting so that it adheres. Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer on a plate and let rest for about 15 minutes.
3. Heat about two tablespoons of oil in a large skillet and add fry chicken until golden brown underneath, about 4-5 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts and fry another 4 to 5 minutes, or until just cooked through and golden brown. Set aside and keep warm while you prepare the salad.
4. Whisk mustard, honey and vinegar in a small bowl, then add olive oil in a slow stream while whisking vigorously. Arrange greens on a couple of plates, top with apple slices and drizzle with oil. Top with chicken fillets and serve with a slice of lemon.