Buttermilk Fried Boneless Chicken Breast in Cast Iron Skillet Olive Oil
City Kitchen
A Nearly Foolproof Method for Golden, Crunchy Chicken Breast
Pity the poor skinless, boneless chicken breast, so often heartbreakingly overcooked. Dry, stringy, bland, sad. What's doubly sad is that it really doesn't have to be that way.
A chicken breast deserves to be well seasoned and juicy, and for that it needs care and attention. Mostly, it needs protection from cooks who crank up the heat and achieve the exact opposite. A blistering hot pan or grill is not the answer.
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For a nearly foolproof approach, cloak a chicken breast in crumbs and shallow-fry it in olive oil. This method absolutely ensures your chicken will be moist and delicious.
If you are wary of frying, know that this is much easier and quicker than regular fried chicken (less than 10 minutes in the pan), and the result is succulent. It's definitely worth the effort for an occasional indulgence. Everyone loves it.
First, make sure the breasts are of an even thickness, which you can achieve by pounding between sheets of plastic or parchment. I like to give them a short bath in buttermilk, too, which adds sweetness and helps keep the meat moist. But if you are pressed for time on a weeknight, it's fine to skip this step.
As for crumbs, homemade are best. In this case, I favor fresh white bread crumbs, made with a day-old French loaf or sourdough sandwich bread. A food processor makes easy work of it.
A quick dip in seasoned flour and beaten egg makes the crumbs adhere to the chicken, but it's a good idea to sprinkle additional crumbs generously, patting them into the meat's surface, for the ultimate crisp coating. And you can get the prep done to this point several hours ahead, well in advance of the meal, so all you have left is the last-minute frying.
On to the frying: Put an inch of olive oil in a cast iron skillet and get it hot, but not too hot. You'll need to adjust the heat to keep it right. The chicken breasts should appear to be simmering briskly. Don't rush it. You want them to color gradually, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
For an additional layer of flavor, make a bright and citrusy relish of green olives and celery, sparked with mint, oregano and hot pepper. Spoon it freely over this golden, crunchy, juicy delight.
Recipe: Chicken Breast Milanese With Green Olive-Celery Relish
And to Drink ...
This crisp schnitzel-like chicken Milanese should be among the simplest dishes to pair with wine: A lively, dry white; a juicy, light red; or even a dry, substantial sparkling wine should go beautifully. The zesty herbal relish adds a slight complication, but the same sort of wines should work. Among whites, consider a peppery grüner veltliner, a good sauvignon blanc from the Loire Valley, a Chablis or even an assyrtiko from Santorini. Beaujolais is an obvious choice among reds, but only one of many. A gamay from the Loire would also be delicious, as would the very few gamays from California and Oregon. So would frappatos and Cerasuolos from the Vittoria region of Sicily. One more option: good rosé Champagne. ERIC ASIMOV
Buttermilk Fried Boneless Chicken Breast in Cast Iron Skillet Olive Oil
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/30/dining/chicken-breast-recipe.html
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