Margherita Chicken

Music by: Jason Shaw http://www.youtube.com/user/audionautix

Hubby and I loved this! I will make this again, and may use it as a "company" meal.
Max didn't like the salsa, so he ate his without.
This not a quick meal (although it is easy), but is is well worth the effort, yummy!!!

You can use low/no fat dressing and low fat cheese to help take the calories down in this.

Ingredients:
3 plum tomatoes chopped fine
6 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil (if you are using dried, use half the amount, but the fresh stuff is still the best in this)
2 tbsp minced red onion
1 tbsp olive oil (plus 2-3 extra tbsp for cooking)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp salt (to taste)
1/8 tsp pepper (to taste)
1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs (recipe asks for Italian style panko breadcrumbs, I used ordinary ones)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves (about 1.5 lbs)
1/4 cup creamy Caesar dressing
60z mozzarella cheese cut into 1/4" slices

- Mix tomatoes, 2 tbsp basil, onion, 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper in a separate bowl Set aside.

- mix breadcrumbs and remaining basil in a shallow dish or pan and set aside.
-between sheets of plastic wrap, pound chicken breast halves to 3/8" thickness.
Brush Caesar dressing onto flattened chicken breast halves and coat in crumb mixture.

-In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat and add chicken in batches, cook turning until no longer pink in the middle, about 5-6 minutes per side. Transfer cooked chicken to platter and keep warm in oven (300F)

-Once all chicken is cooked and on a platter, top with cheese slices and return to oven (turn to 350F) until cheese is melted.

Serve with a couple of large spoonfuls of the tomato mixture over top.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• margherita
• chicken
• cutlet
• recipe
• tomato
• salsa
• coating

[shipoopi228]

can i use dried basil instead of fresh basil?

[yoyomax12]

@shipoopi228 yes

[ninjagirl363]

Do u have to pound it

[yoyomax12]

@ninjagirl363 no, but it tastes better if it is thin (and cooks faster)

[xCillaKiwiix]

We had this for LUNCH!!! :DD

[yoyomax12]

@xCillaKiwiix Wasn't it good?  I really like this recipe

[valerienguyen392]

wow it looks soooo good

[vastawake]

@SuperHappyMonkey1 sorry I meant to say baking sheet instead of pan, also, I forgot, I like to bake the tomato mix on top of the chicken with the cheese in oven for a bit even if I do initially fry the chicken as it flavours up the chicken nicely. Something about cooked tomatoes & chicken, nothing else quite like it.

[vastawake]

@SuperHappyMonkey1 you could but the coating mix may not be as crispy. I would use foil on the pan and NOT oil the pan as it tends to moisten your crumb mixture and make the outer crispy part soggy. You also have to cook the chicken in the oven longer obviously. Another thing you can do is make your own spice mix with the bread crumbs. the lady in the video loved her salt but I like to use garlic salt and spice up the coating mix rather than adding table salt...

[SuperHappyMonkey1]

Can you bake the chicken instead of frying it?