Chicken Paillard, Pizzette-Style

I love this recipe; I love this cookbook.

This dish is called Chicken Paillard, Pizzette-Style. It is from the awesome cookbook by Rachael Ray called "Everyone is Italian on Sunday." This cookbook has your traditional Italian-American recipes like chicken parm and fried calamari, but it also goes beyond with some awesome outside-the-box recipes. Like this one.

Paillard is a French term, that means pounded-out meat - usually chicken or veal. I take a shortcut and just buy thin-cut chicken cutlets at the store. To make cutlets out of chicken breast. Cut the chicken breast in half vertically and open up the sides as if your opening a book. Make two cutlets. Place between plastic wrap and pound the bejesus out of them with a meat pounder or a mallet. You can even use a rolling pin.

I hope this is a recipe you enjoy all summer long!

Chicken Paillard, Pizzette-Style

Serves 4
From "Everyone is Italian on Sunday"
By Rachael Ray

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), butterflied and pounded into cutlets, or 8 skinless thin-cut chicken cutlets
1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Salt and black pepper
1 tsp. granulated garlic aka garlic powder
1 tsp. granulated onion aka onion powder
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
A fat handful of basil leaves
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, very thinly sliced or shredded on the large holes of a box grater
Arugula or baby kale for garnish

Butterfly and pound the chicken cutlet breasts into cutlets. (You can skip this step by using store-made thin-cut chicken cutlets.

In a shallow dish, drizzle the chicken with the oil and season with salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes and thyme. Let marinate while you make the sauce.

In a large skillet with a lid, heat the oil (1 turn of the pan) over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic and stir for a minute. Add the tomatoes, season with salt, cover and cook to soften the tomatoes, shaking the pan occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Wilt in the basil.

Preheat the broiler. Heat a large griddle pan or grill pan over medium-high heat.

Cook the chicken on the griddle pan for a few minutes on each side, then transfer to baking sheets.

Treating the chicken like a small pizza crust, spread with sauce and top with mozzarella.

Broil to brown and melt the cheese.

Serve topped with arugula or baby kale.

Please note: The Jersey Girl uses thin-cut chicken cutlets rather than butterflying and pounding chicken breasts. She also places the prepared chicken on top of the arugula.

Holding onto Summer

Fall is my jam.

Tis the season of my fav colors, celebrations, fashion and food.

But this dish - this one is for all y'all who just can't get enough of summer.

For reals - Chicken Caprese  is summer on a plate: Paper thin chicken, fresh grape tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, shreds of basil and a drizzle of balsamic. Not only is it all fresh and pretty but it is mad quick. So, while perfect for lazy summer nights it is also a winner on overscheduled school nights when you think there is zero time for homemade din dins.

Truth is I made this back in July. But as long as you can get your hands on some fresh basil, you can make it any time. Grape tomatoes are always up in the hood at my grocery store.

Serve with a salad and some fresh bread and you are good to go in less than 30.

Chicken Caprese
(Makes 4 servings)

8 thin-cut chicken cutlets, probably about a 1.5 lbs
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella, torn into bite size pieces
12 basil leaves, chiffonade (thinly sliced)
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. really good balsamic vinegar

In a small bowl, combine garlic powder with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. fresh pepper. Stir with a spoon.

On a baking tray, line up chicken cutlets. Season both sides with the garlic powder mixture.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Cook the chicken cutlets on both sides. About 4 minutes per side. Cook in batches. I usually can fit 3 to 4 cutlets in my pan at one time. If they are really big, you may need to do 2 at a time. Add another Tbsp. olive oil before cooking the second batch if you need it. And repeat a third time if you need to.

Remove chicken from heat onto serving platter or onto dinner plates, 2 per plate. You may cover with aluminum to keep warm.

When ready to serve, remove foil. Top cutlets evenly with grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil chiffonade, salt and pepper to taste and a drizzle of really good balsamic vinegar.