Crispy Italian Chicken Cutlets with Buratta Tomato Pasta

Crispy Italian Chicken Cutlets with Buratta Tomato Pasta Recipe

INGREDIENTS

For Pasta and Sauce:
2 T. butter
2 c. cherry tomatoes (halved)
4 gloves garlic
1 tsp. thyme
9 oz. spaghetti
3 large basil leaves
1 tsp. Calabrian chili or ½ tsp. crushed Calabrian peppers
8 oz. burrata cheese
Salt and fresh ground pepper
For garnish: additional basil and grated parmesan cheese

For Chicken Cutlets:
2 large eggs
3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp whole milk
About 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 3 large breasts)
For the Seasoned Breadcrumbs:
1 cup plain breadcrumbs (fine texture)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 tsp ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: Prepare the sauce: Melt butter in pan. Add 2 c. cherry tomatoes and 4 garlic cloves and season with salt and pepper 1 tsp. thyme. Cook for 4-7 minutes stirring occasionally until tomatoes soften and release their juices.

Step 2: Transfer warm tomato mixture to a blender. Add 3 large basil leaves, 1 tsp. Calabrian chili or ½ tsp. crushed Calabrian peppers and 8 oz. burrata cheese. Blend until creamy. Set aside to prepare chicken.

Step 3: Make the seasoned breadcrumbs: Mixing all the breadcrumb ingredients together in a large bowl until well-combined.

Step 4: Whisk the eggs, parmesan cheese, parsley and milk together in a large bowl until well-combined. Set aside.

Step 5: Remove and discard all large pieces of fat from the chicken breasts. Then, place the pieces of chicken in between plastic wrap and pound the breasts thinner using a mallet or a rolling pin to approximately ½” thickness. The cutlets should have relatively the same thickness all around.

Step 6: Once the breasts are pounded out, pat dry with a paper towel. (Cut to desired size if they are too large once pounded out.)

Step 7: Spray or rub a parchment-lined, rimmed sheet pan liberally with oil.

Step 8: Place the chicken cutlet pieces in the egg mixture, ensuring that both sides of each piece is thoroughly coated. Using either your hand or tongs, transfer each piece of chicken from the egg mixture, one-by-one, to the breadcrumbs and thoroughly coat both sides, patting it down to ensure that the breadcrumbs adhere, then place the breaded chicken on a parchment lined sheet pan. Continue doing this for all the chicken pieces. Transfer each piece to the oiled parchment paper in a single layer.

Step 9: Place oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Spray the top side of each cutlet liberally with oil. Bake the cutlets for 15 minutes. Then, turn each piece over and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until the cutlets have reached an internal temperature of 165℉ at their thickest part. (This time will vary based on your individual oven.)

Step 10: While chicken is cooking bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti per instructions (about 8 minutes).

Step 11: Pour burrata-tomato sauce back into pan and bring to a simmer. If the sauce is too think, add a little of the pasta water. Add pasta and toss gently. Garnish with additional basil and grated parmesan cheese if desired and serve with chicken cutlets.