Making Chicken Scaloppine with Mizuna-Pasta Salad
When the sister saw me repeatedly got on and off the dining chair to take the overhead shot, her comment was “Geez, all that work for a piece of chicken breast?”. I replied with “Well at least I’m burning calories before eating it”, which promptly shut her up.
You need not worry much about an abundance of calories here. Okay maybe you do, because of the sauce/dressing that’s used in this recipe. But should you choose to dress this mizuna-pasta salad with your own healthier version, then it will probably be one of the healthiest meal you’ve made.
CHICKEN SCALOPPINE:
[ 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry + kosher salt and freshly ground pepper + 1/2 cup all-purpose flour + 1 egg, beaten + 1 tablespoon milk or water + 3/4 cups bread crumbs or panko + vegetable oil for browning ] OPTIONAL: 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder + chilli powder + white pepper
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place each chicken breast between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or small skille, flatten chicken breasts until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Set out three shallow breading pans. On one plate, put the flour. On another plate, mix the eggs and water or milk. On the last plate, place the panko bread crumbs . Season each plate lightly with salt and pepper. If you’re using the spices, mix them into the flour.
Dip the chicken breast in the flour and coat both sides. Shake off excess.
Dip the floured chicken breast next into the egg mixture, coating both sides well.
Next dip the chicken breast into the bread crumb mixture, making sure to coat each side well. Place chicken breasts on a rack or plate to rest. Repeat with the other chicken breasts.
Heat a large ovenproof pan (or cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat, and add the oil. Once the pan is hot, place the chicken breasts in the pan.
Note: Do not crowd the pan!
Transfer the pan to the oven (or the chicken to a sheet pan) and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a rack to rest briefly.
While chicken is baking, make your pasta salad.
MIZUNA-PASTA SALAD:
[ 1/2 cup pasta of your choice + 2-3 cups mizuna or arugula + 1/2 cup dry white wine (omitted in this recipe) + 2 shallots, finely chopped + 1 dried red chile pepper + 1/4 cup water + 1 bay leaf + 1 tablespoon heavy cream + 4 tablespoon, cold unsalted butter + juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 lime + 2 tablespoons diced tomatoes ]
Boil the pasta according to the package instruction. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.
Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Add in the shallots, chili and bay leaf in a saucepan. Add in the water and wine bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until the pan is almost dry.
Add the cream and simmer until it reduces to about a tablespoon. Whisk in the butter little by little over medium-low heat until the sauce is creamy and emulsified. Add in the diced tomatoes. Turn the heat off.
Give the mizuna or arugula a good rinse and chop them roughly. Put into a bowl. Drain the pasta and put it on top of the leaves while its still hot, so that the leaves wilt a bit. Put in 3/4 of the sauce and toss until combined.
Transfer to a plate and top with the chicken and serve with the leftover sauce. Garnish with some chopped parsley, if you want.
CHICKEN SCALOPPINE:
[ 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry + kosher salt and freshly ground pepper + 1/2 cup all-purpose flour + 1 egg, beaten + 1 tablespoon milk or water + 3/4 cups bread crumbs or panko + vegetable oil for browning ] OPTIONAL: 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder + chilli powder + white pepper
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place each chicken breast between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or small skillet, flatten chicken breasts until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Set out three shallow breading pans or plates. On the first plate, put the flour. On the second plate, mix the eggs and water or milk. On the third plate, place the panko bread crumbs . Season each plate lightly with salt and pepper. If you’re using the spices, mix them into the flour.
- Dip the chicken breast in the flour and coat both sides. Shake off excess.
- Dip the floured chicken breast next into the egg mixture, coating both sides well.
- Next dip the chicken breast into the bread crumb mixture, making sure to coat each side well. Place chicken breasts on a rack or plate to rest. Repeat with the other chicken breasts.
- Heat a large ovenproof pan (or cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat, and add the oil. Once the pan is hot, place the chicken breasts in the pan.
- Transfer the pan to the oven (or the chicken to a sheet pan) and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a rack to rest briefly.
- While chicken is baking, make your pasta salad.
MIZUNA-PASTA SALAD:
[ 1/2 cup pasta of your choice + 2-3 cups mizuna or arugula + 1/2 cup dry white wine (omitted in this recipe) + 2 shallots, finely chopped + 1 dried red chile pepper + 1/4 cup water + 1 bay leaf + 1 tablespoon heavy cream + 4 tablespoon, cold unsalted butter + juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 lime + 2 tablespoons diced tomatoes ]
- Boil the pasta according to the package instruction. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Add in the shallots, chili and bay leaf in a saucepan. Add in the water and wine bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until the pan is almost dry.
- Add the cream and simmer until it reduces to about a teaspoon. Whisk in the butter little by little over medium-low heat until the sauce is creamy and emulsified. Add in the diced tomatoes. Turn the heat off.
- Give the mizuna or arugula a good rinse and chop them roughly. Put into a bowl. Drain the pasta and put it on top of the leaves. Put in 3/4 of the sauce and toss until combined.
- Transfer to a plate and top with the chicken and serve with the leftover sauce. Garnish with a bit of chopped parsley, if you want.
Enjoy!
