crispy chicken cutlets + crunchy sal

hi friends, lovers + people probably related to me -

43 - i might have bought an overpriced linen sundress this week, plz don’t text

^note it was also the day that i had sourdough bread with butter + flaky salt for breakfast like some kind of fancy person

fancy effing dinner pt.2

alison roman made chicken cutlets so of course i had to make chicken cutlets — her video for this recipe felt really heartfelt + earnest, confessing that you should make this dinner for someone you care about. i made these chicken cutlets for me/ my roomie (emily) who was home — a little self-care sunday tied into a low-key recipe test. it had been a week that had flown by, so a quiet day leisurely cooking a fancy(ish) dinner felt incredibly needed + good. i also made some crispy + smooshed potatoes, i was going to make the molly baz salt + vin ones but realized once home from the store i had no sour cream + v. little vinegar — stars they are just like us

INGREDIENTS for THE CHICKY CUTLETS

boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into larger almost tender sized pieces + then pounded slightly thinner but not too thin
panko
egg
salt + pepper
neutral oil

INGREDIENTS for THE CRUNCHY SAL

fennel
celery
radishes
shallot
lemon
salt + pepper

INGREDIENTS for SERVING

lemons
flaky salt (like maldon)
dijon mustard

steps

1st prep the cruchy sal, thinly slice the fennel (i’m slightly afraid/ sometimes lazy + haven’t purchased one yet regarding mandolins so i do not own one, but if you do, feel free break that buddy out) let it sit in cold water, then thinly slice your radishes + celery, and chop a shallot mix all together and stash in the fridge for later

2nd take your chicken breasts + slice definitely in half to thin them out, then maybe into larger tender sized pieces, put each piece on parchment paper and folded around it, pound slightly thinner with a mallet or a flat bottomed skillet - “not too thin though you want to actually taste the chicken part of the cutlet + not just the fried stuff” - alison roman + also me

3rd put your panko in a shallow plate/bowl (i find a pie plate works best) season with salt + pepper, then crack two eggs in another bowl also season generously with salt + pepper. pull out a large sheet pan to stage your chicken, dip in egg then panko - pat it on. then transfer - repeat till all cutlets are full coated. heat canola or vegetable oil in a deep(ish) skillet — i used my always pan. (no need to take it’s exact temperature - it should start to get shimmery + bubbly, you can also throw a couple drops of water in there and see if they sizzle). turn oven to 200. fry your cutlets in batches till crispy (they should be rich golden brown color) - let drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with flaky salt - stash the chicky cutlets in the oven while you pull together the cruchy sal (drain the water from the fennel, mix fennel with the rest of the veggies, a generous amount of lemon + salt & pepper)

4th plate it, a cutlet, a little bit of crunchy sal, a swoosh of dijon + a couple of lemon wedges - that’s all you really need. “she’s a vision,” i mean “color palette alone” - sydney + kiera (friends, visual confirmation support + occasional taste testers)

n.p. the vinegary smooshed + crispy potatoes w/ spicy aioli

p.s. these would go v. well with a cold glass of natty rosé or a strong gin + tonic

particularly good things i consumed this week

a post work roomie walk on the 606, a bike ride out to the lake + back, and cone from the freeze for a late dinner (vanilla chocolate swirl dipped in both chocolate + rainbow sprinkles)

catching up + celebrating with kaitlyn @ dos - it had been way too long (chips, salsa + guac, tamal tots, v. tart margs + a shared carne asada quesadilla)

a lil logan run club to pizza friendly pizza for a couple of slices + plastic cups filled with wine

MARKETING TAKES A HALF DAY to pilsen (5 rabinitos + pilsen yards) started out as a girl + left as a tortilla chip

catching up @ easy does with sydney over natty wine + quesotacos

a two course breakfast w/ francesca @ spinning j [we got to sit at the counter!] (1st iced coffees + chipotle poblano breakfast sandwiches w/ bacon, 2nd chocolate milkshake, thai tea egg cream float + calamansi key lime pie)

currently consuming

this baseball cap — hope it comes before the famdamnily heads to fla

as always,

mk