March 19: Sicilian -Style Chicken Cutlets with Chopped Caprese Salad for Two

2 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
   Coarse salt
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 lemon, zested, then cut into wedges
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 small, firm (underripe) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 small white onion, quartered and thinly sliced
8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, shredded

6 bocconcini, drained and halved or chopped
   EVOO, for drizzling
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Butterfly the breasts by cutting into and across each breast but not all the way through. Open the breast, like butterfly wings, and place between wax paper or plastic wrap and pound out to a 1/4-inch thickness with a small skillet or mallet.

Season the cutlets with salt and pepper. Mix the bread crumbs with the garlic, lemon zest, and half the parsley. Gently press the chicken into the bread-crumb mixture, coating both sides. Heat enough EVOO to coat the bottom of a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brown and cook the large cutlets for 4 minutes on each side.

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes with the onions, basil, mozzarella, the remaining parsley, salt, and pepper and just enough EVOO to lightly coat the salad. Toss the salad with your fingertips.

Serve the cutlets with a wedge of lemon. Serve the salad alongside the cutlets.

2 SERVINGS

This is a very simple and tasty meal. The only problem is the complicated way that it's written. I eventually figured it out and made it easier to follow. I only made 1/2 the recipe because I don't have much of an appetite for chicken and my DH doesn't like tomatoes. It worked out great: I ate the tomato salad and he ate the chicken! He liked it a lot. I really liked the salad too.
Rachael Ray says: "Adding bocconcini, bite-sized mozzarella balls, to the tomato-basil salad makes it a Caprese salad!"