And a giveaway contest…
The perfect bite of Panéed Chicken Breast
Although it’s been said that even a piece of plywood would taste good panéed, that’s not the starting point of this recipe. Although veal is the more common panéed menu item among restaurants, at home I prefer to use pork loin slices or boneless skinless chicken breast meat. These other cuts of meat have all the advantages of veal with none of the disadvantages including the dryness, expense, and the way butchers slice veal wrong, which is to say, they cut veal way to thick. And in most cases store bought veal is really not veal at all, but calf, and calf is much tougher that true veal.
Panéed medallions of chicken, pork, or veal are so easily and quickly cooked that you need to get the pasta or side dish finished before starting this process. For any recipe that calls for panéed, you need to know that the meats are interchangeable, such as the veal with chicken or pork, substituting any of the proteins will work in any case. Pasta bordelaise is the perfect companion to panéed anything, although pasta Alfredo is more common in restaurants. In this instance I served a side of steamed spinach and also mushrooms in the style of Mushrooms a la Grecque, as you can see in the photos, and I will post the recipe for this later.
Traditionally “panéed” is a term found among New Orleans restaurants and typically means that the meat portion is cut into very thin slices, then lightly dusted with flour, dipped into an egg wash, and then coated with breadcrumbs and pan sautéed in oil or butter until golden brown and cooked through. You will find several recipes that call for adding a large quantity of oil to the pan, and typically this means about a ½-inch or so of oil, I find this to be way too much oil. You only need enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan and usually this means only a couple of tablespoons olive oil or clarified butter.
In this recipe I am not cutting the chicken into thin slices, just pounding it to about a ½-inch thickness. Traditional panéed veal or pork would have the meat sliced across the grain to about one-eighth to ¼-inch thickness or less. We were taught that when cutting veal for a panée you needed to be able to see through the slice, or make it almost paper thin, of course, this was the challenge, and rarely matched. Thinner is better.
Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko Breadcrumbs
In this recipe I have used the Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko Breadcrumbs product, and the prize pack, information, and giveaway have all been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.
A chef known for his emphasis on creating delicious dishes with fresh, premium ingredients, Chef Michael Chiarello uses panko as his go-to bread crumb for a crunch that won’t quit. An Emmy-award winning TV chef and cookbook author, Chef Chiarello is the tastemaker behind Bottega Napa Valley Restaurant, NapaStyle and Chiarello Family Vineyards, and appears on The Cooking Channel and Top Chef Masters only on Bravo.
Chef Chiarello is helping cooks everywhere use Progresso´s panko to make flavorful, flawless recipes including Crispy Seafood Salad, Mama Chiarello’s Stuffed Eggplant and Turkey Scallopini and Squash Ravioli with Cranberry Brown Butter.
Visit the Progresso website for additional recipes, tips for cooking with panko, video and a coupon for $1 off any Panko flavor.
Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko and an autographed copy of chef Chiarello´s new cookbook: Michael Chiarello´s Bottega.
Giveaway
Comment on this blog for a chance to win a gift pack (see photo above) including one package of Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko and an autographed copy of chef Chiarello´s new cookbook: Michael Chiarello´s Bottega. A randomly selected winner will be announced on Monday, January 17, 2010 at 0900 EDT.
The Step-By-Step
Step 1. One at a time place the chicken breasts inside a zip type bag and then using a meat mallet pound the chicken breasts to an even ½-inch thickness.
Pounding the chicken breasts
Step 2.Place the Panko breadcrumbs into a medium bowl, in another medium bowl add the beaten egg and the milk to create an egg wash.
Step 3.When ready to cook the chicken, heat a large sauté pan over a high heat. Then sprinkle and season the chicken breasts with the Finger Lickin Rub, be sure to evenly coat all sides. One at a time dip the seasoned chicken breasts into the egg wash and then allow excess to drip, and then dredge the chicken into the Panko breadcrumbs, giving it an even coating. Bread all the chicken breasts in this manner and set onto a plate or tray.
Season with the Finger Lickin Rub
Coat with egg wash
Dredge in the Panko breadcrumbs
Chicken breast breaded
Step 4.Heat the olive oil in the very hot sauté pan and then add two of the chicken breasts and brown evenly on the first side for about 4 to 5 minutes. Then turn the breasts over and brown evenly for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are cooked through. Add more oil after turning if necessary. You may need to turn the heat to medium so as not to burn the chicken.
Add breaded chicken to sauté pan
Sauté both sides of the chicken breast
The recipe
What you will need…
| Ingredients | ||
| 4 | Each | Chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (6 ounces each) |
| 2 | Cups | Progresso Panko Lemon Pepper Breadcrumbs |
| 1 | Lg. | Egg, beaten |
| ½ | Cup | Milk |
| 1 | Tbsp | Finger Lickin Rub |
| 2 | Tbsp | Olive oil |
| Procedure Steps: | |
| 1. | One at a time place the chicken breasts inside a zip type bag and then using a meat mallet pound the chicken breasts to an even ½-inch thickness. |
| 2. | Place the Panko breadcrumbs into a medium bowl, in another medium bowl add the beaten egg and the milk to create an egg wash. |
| 3. | When ready to cook the chicken, heat a large sauté pan over a high heat. Then sprinkle and season the chicken breasts with the Finger Lickin Rub, be sure to evenly coat all sides. One at a time dip the seasoned chicken breasts into the egg wash and then allow excess to drip, and then dredge the chicken into the Panko breadcrumbs, giving it an even coating. Bread all the chicken breasts in this manner and set onto a plate or tray. |
| 4. | Heat the olive oil in the very hot sauté pan and then add two of the chicken breasts and brown evenly on the first side for about 4 to 5 minutes. Then turn the breasts over and brown evenly for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are cooked through. Add more oil after turning if necessary. You may need to turn the heat to medium so as not to burn the chicken. |
To Serve: Hold in chicken in a warm 180° F oven until ready to serve. Serve one chicken breast per plate and your favorite side dish.
Yield: Four 6-ounce servings.
Panéed Chicken Breast with steamed spinach and mushrooms a la grecque
Sliced Panéed Chicken Breast
Bon appetite!
CCR
=:~)
©2011 CCR
22 responses so far ↓
1 Polly Motzko // Jan 10, 2011 at 11:35 am
What a great blog entree and an ever smart way to promote your seasoning as well.
I love Italian Chicken Cutlets. I was looking at making some just yesterday, without the mix, but it looks wonderful anyhow.
I love the format of the way you did your story here and you have given me an idea on how to create something on my blog.
I might be switching from my Ning Network soon; I am not sure. They over billed me and I am having a hard time calling customer service about it.
I love Michael Chiarello’s cooking and recipes. I watch him all the time. I would love to have one of his autographed books one day.
Polly Motzko
http://CookingUpAStorminCA.ning.com
If you ever want to sell your product on my site or even do a reprint of this great article/blog, I would allow you to do that. There is a lot of great info here that my now nearly 100 members would enjoy!
2 Beth McMillon // Jan 10, 2011 at 11:40 am
Looks great! I love using Panko breadcrumbs in recipes that call for breadcrumbs. I didn’t realize that they came flavored, awesome! I would love to win the cookbook – Michael Chiarello´s Bottega.
3 fooddreamer // Jan 10, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Wow, this looks good! And I am quite glad you chose chicken, over plywood. I am saving this one!
4 Kita // Jan 10, 2011 at 3:17 pm
Once again, your dish does not disappoint but rather makes me want to rush into the kitchen. I love the explanation of ‘paneed’ and why you chose not to go with veal. It will be super helpful information when I try this on out myself.
Thanks!
5 Island Vittles // Jan 10, 2011 at 4:42 pm
Interesting — My first introduction to this technique — of course, I’ve breaded things similarily, but not actual paneeing…;) The paper-thin veal tip sounds incredibly tasty! Theresa
6 kateiscooking // Jan 10, 2011 at 5:19 pm
Another great post! And, your photos are fantastic! I’m not sure how you have the time to take such great progress photos but they certainly are!!
7 Sandra // Jan 10, 2011 at 6:26 pm
Looks and sounds awesome!!! I never say “no” to good chicken, I wouldn’t even wait for side dishes!:) Delicious and great photos!
8 Frank // Jan 10, 2011 at 6:55 pm
This indeed looks very Italian to me… I guess great culinary traditions–like great minds–often think alike. 🙂
9 Torviewtoronto // Jan 10, 2011 at 9:07 pm
delicious preparation we make this looks good
10 Kate @ Diethood.com // Jan 10, 2011 at 11:08 pm
Oh that looks delicious! I’ve had paneed veal, but not chicken … this I am definitely going to try! Thank you, Chef!
11 Drick // Jan 11, 2011 at 1:35 pm
what, no sauce here? love all types of meat this way, pounding does help for me as I cannot seem to get the meat sliced thin enough without a good beating…hey, used part of a recipe of yours in my lasted post…. thanks
12 Boudreaux Ryan // Jan 11, 2011 at 3:47 pm
Polly,
You are so right, Italian Chicken Cutlets are very close to the paneed procedure.
13 Boudreaux Ryan // Jan 11, 2011 at 3:49 pm
Fooddreamer, you are too funny! I was all out of plywood anyway! 🙂
14 Boudreaux Ryan // Jan 11, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Kita, so happy to inspire you once again!
15 Boudreaux Ryan // Jan 11, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Kate is Cooking,
I bring my camera into the kitchen whenever I know I’ll be cooking, and wash my hands a lot to keep from getting the body and lens all mucked up with food stuffs. Quick little snaps here and there and then cooking again.
16 Boudreaux Ryan // Jan 11, 2011 at 4:05 pm
Drick,
Yeah, no sauce necessary, the chicken is so moist and tender there is no need to cover it up. However, if you wanted to add a sauce I would recommend a beurre blanc.
17 Greg // Jan 11, 2011 at 6:58 pm
With the right seasonings, plywood might be OK. No, I think I’ll go with the chicken!
18 Walter // Jan 11, 2011 at 8:28 pm
Looks/reads tasty. I’d use wax paper instead of wasting a plastic bag.
19 Lea Ann // Jan 12, 2011 at 9:16 am
I’m loving that there is a lemon pepper flavored panko available. Heading over for the coupon. Can’t wait to try this recipe, and I will use chicken.
20 Laurie Alves // Jan 12, 2011 at 6:36 pm
I love the idea of a “Lemon” flavored Panko. I know we have gone the line of herb flavored breading, but Lemon.. Can’t wait to try it!
Love the Giveaway Prize, I have many Chef Written Cookbooks but Chef Chiarello has escaped me for some reason! Would be a great addition to the collection! Thanks for the Recipe Fantastic!
21 Chris and Amy // Jan 12, 2011 at 8:21 pm
Flavored panko? Great idea! Thanks for the recipe and the giveaway!!!
22 Boudreaux Ryan // Jan 17, 2011 at 11:05 am
Carolyn, aka Fooddreamer,
Congratulations!! You are the winner of the prize pack, Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko and an autographed copy of chef Chiarello´s new cookbook: Michael Chiarello´s Bottega.
Through a random selection generator, yours was the third comment and it was selected out of a possible 21 comments.
