Mystery Lovers' Kitchen: chicken cutlets

Saturday, August 31, 2019

Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets #Recipe @PegCochran

Do you have an air fryer? I got one from hubby for Christmas. At first it pretty much just sat in the cupboard--I really wasn't sure what to do with it. My daughter has one and uses it a lot although she's often making chicken nuggets for the kids in it.

I finally started looking up air fryer recipes and I've actually been using it more and more! It makes wonderfully crispy fries, "fried" shrimp, "fried" chicken and other "fried" things using much less fat, It also heats up quickly and cooks quickly both of which save you time in the kitchen!

This recipe came from somewhere although I don't remember where! I made a few changes to it--I forgot the parmesan and it turned out great. Instead of using lemon zest in the coating, I squeezed some lemon over the finished product. I also used one chicken breast (they're so gigantic these days) and cut it in half horizontally before breading and cooking. The recipe serves two--depending on the size of your chicken breasts (and the size of your appetite), you may want to use one or two.

Ingredients:

1 large egg, beaten

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. panko bread crumbs

1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan

2 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions

Place eggs and flour in two separate shallow bowls. In a third shallow bowl, combine panko, Parmesan, lemon zest, oregano, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper.

Working one at a time, dip chicken into flour, then eggs, and then panko mixture, pressing to coat.

Place in air fryer basket and cook at 375° for 10 minutes. Flip chicken, and cook for another 5 minutes, until coating is golden and chicken is cooked through.

Golden brown and crispy!

Amazon Reviewer: "Peg Cochran creates engaging characters and a wonderful sense of time and place. The mystery is well plotted and full of twists. There’s a little bit of humor, a splash of romance, and great historical details."

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

An intrepid 1930s Manhattan socialite uncovers deadly secrets during an assignment to the Hamptons in this riveting historical cozy mystery for readers of Victoria Thompson, Anne Perry, and Rhys Bowen.

Westhampton, 1938. To the dismay of her well-to-do family, Elizabeth “Biz” Adams is quickly establishing herself as a seasoned photographer over at the Daily Trumpet. Growing more confident in her decision to pursue a career, Elizabeth is thrilled when she and her reporter sidekick, Ralph Kaminsky, are sent to Long Island to cover the story of a young maid found dead in one of the glamourous summer homes in the devastating aftermath of the Great New England Hurricane—also known as the Long Island Express.

At first it’s assumed that the young woman was caught in the terrible storm, but when a suspicious wound is found on the side of her head, the police suspect murder. The maid’s death becomes even more tragic when it’s discovered she was pregnant, and with Elizabeth and Kaminsky at the scene of the crime, the Daily Trumpet scoops all the other papers in town.

The young woman’s boyfriend emerges as the likeliest suspect. But as Elizabeth follows the story, she begins to wonder whether someone in the household of the maid’s employers might be responsible—someone who’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth about the baby’s paternity hidden.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

4 Tips for Making Italian Breaded Chicken Cutlets from Cleo Coyle

Photos by Alice Alfonsi, who writes as Cleo Coyle

Cleo Coyle, who likes to

pound keyboards as well as

cutlets, is author of The

Coffeehouse Mysteries

The skinless, boneless chicken cutlet is one of the most user-friendly ingredients for whipping up a quick, tasty meal. Slap it on a crusty roll and you've got the perfect hot sandwich. Add mashed potatoes and gravy, and you have the easiest fried chicken dinner imaginable. Grate mozzarella and Parmesan over the top, add a splash of red sauce, a glass of wine, and you'll be singing Rossini.

No matter how you choose to finish these babies, you'll want to start things off right, and today I'm happy to share my tips for making the perfect, golden chicken cutlet, the kind that delights with a crunch of breading on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness on the inside...

Tip 1 - Give the bird a whack: It’s not enough to start with fresh, thin sliced chicken breast fillets, you need to give each breast a blow (or three) with the business end of a meat hammer for the kind of tender cutlet that you can cut with a spoon.

Tip 2 - Spice up your breading: Some cooks use panko and that’s a nice way to go. But I prefer the traditional flour, egg, bread crumb coating with a twist. Start with your favorite brand of Italian seasoned bread crumbs and boost that flavor with additional ingredients. I add grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and dried herbs (see recipe). Optional red pepper flakes nicely spice things up for those days when I want a little heat with my meat.

Tip 3 - Oil temperature is key: If you start with oil that's too cold, your chicken will absorb too much grease and the breading may be soggy. If your oil is too hot, your chicken will burn on the outside and be raw in the center. Wait for the oil to ripple and then test it carefully by adding a few drops of water into the pan. If the water "dances" on the oil, it's ready. See the recipe below for more tips on frying.

Tip 4 - Finish with freshness: Nothing tops off a perfectly sautéed chicken cutlet like fresh squeezed lemon juice. It's also a delicious finisher for side dish vegetables like dorati e fritti zucchini (for my recipe, click here) or broccoli rabe (for my recipe, click here).

Broccoli Rabe

Click the photo for a
free PDF of the recipe ->

Italian Fried Zucchini

(aka "dorati e fritti")

Click the photo for a free PDF of the recipe ->

And...

Cleo Coyle’s

Chicken Cutlets

Ingredients:

1 ½ - 2 pounds boneless breast fillets, sliced thin (about 9 cutlets)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs, beaten + 1 teaspoon water or milk

2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried parsley (if you like rosemary add, as well)

1 Tablespoon grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan) cheese

Dash of garlic powder or red pepper flakes (optional)

olive oil or vegetable oil (at least 1/4 cup, see directions for more info)

1 lemon sliced thin

Directions:

Step 1 - Prep the fillets: Rinse fillets in cold water. One at a time, place the fillets on a clean, flat surface. Using the tenderizing (spiky) end of a meat hammer, whack the breast a few times to flatten it even more, then flip it and repeat. Dredge each breast well in all-purpose flour and set aside on a plate.

Step 2 - Prep the breading: Pour the Italian seasoned bread crumbs into a shallow bowl, pie plate, or cake pan, and boost the flavor by adding the oregano, dried parsley, grated cheese, and (optional) rosemary, garlic powder, and/or red pepper flakes. Whisk until blended.

Step 3 - Coat the chicken: Crack the eggs into another shallow bowl or pie pan and whisk to blend, adding a teaspoon of water or milk to thin the mixture a bit. Now dredge each flour-coated breast into the beaten egg mixture, coating both sides of the chicken fillet. Allow excess to drip off and transfer to the seasoned breading. Coat both sides of each fillet completely with the breading. Allow excess breading to fall away. Keep the breaded fillets in a single layer. (I use flat plates or a sheet pan.)

Step 4 - Cook and finish: Place a large skillet over medium heat and pour in oil until it reaches the depth of about 1/2 inch. When the oil is rippling and a drop of water dances on it, you're ready to cook. Don't crowd the pan. The more fillets you place into the oil, the more you are reducing the oil's temperature and risking a greasy, soggy end.

Once the chicken hits the oil, saute two to three minutes. This is (admittedly) a tricky endeavor. You may need to decrease the heat a bit if the chicken is cooking too quickly or increase it if the oil's temp. is dropping too fast.

When the chicken is golden brown, flip it. Cook on the other side for another two to three minutes. Hold finished cutlets in warm (200 degree F.) oven while you cook additional batches. If you're cooking multiple batches, the oil will need to be replaced. When it becomes brown or full of crumbs, pour it out, wipe the pan and start with new oil.

Just before serving (and not too early or the chicken will become soggy) squeeze on some fresh lemon juice, and...