Chicken Scallopini Caprese

Happy Friday friends!!

I hope you enjoying your last few hours of work, until it is the weekend. I am not so huge on weekends.  My husband always used to have to work them so my weekends became whatever days he had off.  Made it hard when I was teaching but, such is life.  He now has real weekends off, much do our dismay.  We enjoy a weekday off,
great restaurants aren't as crowded, neither are movie theaters or anywhere else most people would frequent on a weekend.  We also like to have a weekday off to conduct business if needed, since many places aren't open on the weekends.  Regardless, for most of the world is is already or almost the weekend!

Since I made fried ravioli this week, I decided to go all out and fry up dinner last night.  I actually only fried it enough to brown it and finished it in the oven.  I am always looking for ways to get more chicken into my husband because he would live on red meat if he could.  He loves chicken, he just loves steak better!  He is still raving over this dinner from last night.  It is quite simple, but I guess the combination of flavor hit him just right last night, and it did me to, to be honest.  I love all things Caprese to begin with, and I could likely manage a way to incorporate fresh mozz and basil into almost anything.  

Make sure to pound your chicken fairly thin.  Mine wasn't as thin as I wanted, I just had a headache and the pounding needed to cease, on the counter AND in my head!  

Here is what you will need:
5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts OR thighs

Breadcrumb mixture:
3 cups breadcrumbs.  I always use fresh and so should you but dried will do :)
1 cup grated parm
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 eggs + a splash of water
olive oil

Caprese salad for the top:
4 small-med tomatoes
1 small clove of garlic grated
1/4 cup torn basil
3/4 cup small mozzarella balls (pearls)
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Pound chicken thin!

Breadcrumb mixture

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cover a cookie sheet with foil and set aside.  Get large skillet heating with approx 3 tbsp of olive oil.  Combine bread crumb/cheese mixture in a shallow dish or baking pan.  Whisk eggs and water in another. Take pounded out chicken and dip in egg mixture, then coat in breadcrumbs, pressing them in to the chicken and then to the skillet.  Fry approx 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.  Transfer to a foil lined cookie sheet and put in the oven when all chicken is finished browning.  Let bake until done, approx 15-30 minutes depending on how far you took it in the skillet.  While it is finishing up, make your caprese salad.  Chop tomatoes and put into a bowl.  Add in mozz balls and grate in garlic clove and toss in torn basil and extra virgin olive oil.  *use plain olive oil if you choose* Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Your "fresh mozz on top of anything that stands still"chefwannabe

Chris

Pin It