7-11-2011 Chicken Milanese

We had a colleague of King Hock's over for dinner tonight.  I really hope she will return for dinner another time, we may of scared her off.

Before she got there, I warned the boys not to make a mess. Next thing I know, toys are being dumped left and right, and pillows and blankets from my bed are being brought into the living room, the mess was beyond repair. I had to let it go even though it looked like a tornado swept through our house.

Next, I realize I am about to melt, there must be something wrong with the air conditioning. It doesn't help that it's over 100 degrees outside, and the boys keep leaving the door open as they go inside and outside. It also doesn't help that the oven and stove are both on.

King Hock arrives with our dinner guest. We both immediately start apologizing to her for the overwhelming heat inside our house. Dinner is promptly served, and thank G-d everything was delish, (not sure if anything else could go wrong until.....)

We are finishing up our dinner, and King Hock feels the need to go check the A.C. unit in the attic. He goes upstairs into the attic, and I am chit chatting with our guest, when we hear a loud bang followed by King Hock moaning.

I sprint up the stairs leaving our guest with 2 rowdy but very cute boys, and find mounds of pink insulation on the ground and a huge hole in the ceiling where King Hock's leg fell through.

The whole fiasco got quickly cleaned up and our dinner came to an end. In case you are wondering, King Hock is ok, his leg is swollen and hurting him, but no broken bones or anything bad like that. At least the food was good.

We had Chicken Milanese, Homemade Gnocci with Marinara Sauce, Garlic Bread, and Hoffbrau Salad.

I went all out with the Chicken Milanese because I fried it. Normally, I shy away from frying for health reasons, but with chicken milanese it isn't the same unless it is fried.

This scrumdidliumptious chicken dish is a real winner with it's crispy coating on the outside and tender chicken inside. It's great served with a lemon wedge to be freshly squeezed over the chicken before consuming.  See the recipe and pictures below.

Today, as I perused the grocery store, I stood in front of the packaged gnocci for a few minutes contemplating whether or not to buy it. I walked away without it, deciding homemade is the better way to go.

I am really happy to report I did that because it led me to make gnocci tonight. This was my second attempt, and this time it seemed much easier. It was still somewhat tedious, but still well worth the effort.

Finally, here is the recipe:

Chicken Milanese

4 boneless skinless chicken breast, tenders removed
2 eggs, beaten
1 C. all purpose flour
salt and pepper
2 C. Panko bread crumbs
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. dried parsley
1/2 t. Italian seasonings

2 T. margarine
4 T. vegetable oil
1 lemon cut into wedges

Make 2 long sheets of plastic wrap. Place 1 chicken breasts in the middle, spritz the chicken with a few drops of water, and cover with the second sheet of plastic wrap.

Use a meat mallet or a skillet, and pound the chicken until it is an even 1/4-3/8 inch thick. Repeat with the other breasts.

Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Place the eggs in a bowl, and beat.

Place the panko bread crumbs in a large bowl and add the seasonings. Also, add a pinch of salt and pepper.

First, dip the chicken in the flour and shake off the excess. Then, dip in the egg and let the excess drip off. Next, dip in the bread crumbs. Place the breaded chicken onto a baker's cooling rack and let dry for 5-10 minutes.

Heat 2 T. oil and 1 T. margarine in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 chicken pieces and fry 5 minutes until nicely browned. Flip over and cook another 5 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the heat and place on a paper towel to drain. You may want to cut into the center to make sure the chicken is cooked though (there should be no pink whatsoever)

Repeat the cooking process with the remaining oil, margarine, and chicken. 

Serve with lemon wedges.

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I hope you had a good night! We sure did ;) Pin It