Chicken Breast Milanese With Green Olive-Celery Relish
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus optional chilling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Ingredients
- 4skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
- Salt and pepper
- 2cups buttermilk (optional)
- 1cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch of cayenne
- 2eggs
- 2cups fresh bread crumbs, from a French or Italian loaf
- 1cup roughly chopped pitted green olives (use a food processor if you have one)
- 1cup diced celery
- 2small garlic cloves, minced
- 1teaspoon orange zest
- 1teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Pinch of oregano
- 2tablespoons lemon juice
- 1tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- 1tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Watercress or arugula, for garnish
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
For the Relish
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
553 calories; 19 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 51 grams protein; 1023 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Put each chicken breast between 2 sheets of heavy plastic and pound them to a thickness of about ¼ inch. Trim any ragged edges. Season each breast on both sides with salt and pepper. If desired, place breasts in a bowl and cover with buttermilk and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 6 hours).
- Step 2
Prepare the breading: Arrange 3 shallow bowls. Add flour to one bowl, then season it with salt and pepper and a little cayenne. In another bowl, beat the eggs. Fill the third bowl with bread crumbs.
- Step 3
Drain the chicken. Dip each breast lightly into the seasoned flour, then into beaten egg and finally into the crumbs. Put breaded chicken on a baking sheet and sprinkle with more crumbs on both sides. Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to fry.
- Step 4
Make the olive-celery relish: In a mixing bowl, combine olives, celery, garlic, orange zest, lemon zest, red pepper, oregano, lemon juice, parsley, mint and basil. Season with salt and pepper and stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Step 5
Put a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil to a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Test the temperature by throwing a bread crumb into the oil — it should brown gently. Add breaded chicken breasts in one layer without crowding. Do not disturb them until they become golden and crisp on one side, about 3 minutes. Carefully turn with tongs and cook on the other side for 3 minutes more. Remove and drain breasts on absorbent paper. Give them a light sprinkling of salt.
- Step 6
To serve, put 1 breast on each of 4 dinner plates. Top with 2 tablespoons green olive-celery relish and garnish with watercress and lemon wedges.
Private Notes
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Comments
"... add olive oil to a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil to 365"
Firstly, the ingredients only mention "Extra-virgin olive oil", so a pan filled 1" would be serious $$$ - and it's not the type of oil you can re-use.
Second, don't fry with EVOO, wrong use for this oil, which has a smoke point of 320F., and the recipe says to bring to 365. Will result in smoking and off-flavor. Use grapeseed, or avocado, or even canola or peanut. Reserve the EVOO for the relish
Try this to avoid frying and eggs:
Turn the oven on to 450.
Slather the breasts in mayonnaise then roll them in breadcrumbs.
Place the breasts on a baking sheet and put them in the oven. Turn after 8 to 10 minutes and let brown for another 7 or so minutes. (the breasts "self fry" with the oil in the mayonnaise)
I've been cooking chicken breasts this way for years (though minus the buttermilk) and agree the result is very good. An option is to skip the flour and egg and instead brush the breasts with a blend of Dijon mustard and herbs (I like rosemary) then coat with bread crumbs. The mustard serves as "glue" for the breadcrumbs.
I am looking forward to trying the relish.
shave parmesan over at the end. sauce with capers is enough
Maybe I'm too much of an old-school chef, but to me, this recipe doesn't really work. Separately, the chicken and the "relish" are excellent, each on their own, but I don't think they belong together. The "relish" is reminiscent of an olive tapenade and as such, is more at home with Mediterranean cuisine The chicken is reminiscent of a breaded cutlet or schnitzel, more in line with northern Italian or even Germanic cuisine it deserves a light piquant sauce like piccata or lemon butter.
Just skip the hot pepper, and it's probably a very dish.