This is one of those dinners that sounds super complicated and looks pretty fancy but was really a snap to make. My 2 year old boy sat on the counter and “helped” the entire time. Right now, I’m reading my mom’s brain…”Shay, that’s too complicated. Blog something easy.”. Look at the recipe Mom, it’s super simple!
This recipe was totally inspired by one of my favorite cookbook authors, Gwyneth Paltrow. Her version is fried and mine is baked but I think she’d be super pleased with my results. Her book is awesome, check it out!!
Shopping List for the Chicken Milanese
1 pint cherry tomatoes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 cup milk
fresh spinach leaves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Lots and lots of salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
On a foil lined baking sheet, spread tomatoes out evenly and drizzle several tablespoons of EVOO over the tops of them. Sprinkle with liberal amounts of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven about 40 minutes.
While the tomatoes are cooking, remove chicken from fridge and begin breading. In one shallow baking dish, pour your two cups of Panko breadcrumbs out. Add in Parmesan plus 2 tablespoons of pepper and toss until combined. In a second shallow baking dish, pour in your milk. Take each chicken breast and first dip both sides in the milk, then take it and dip both sides in the Panko mixture. Make sure to pat the Panko on the breast to give it a good coat.
Take a foil lined baking sheet and top it with a cooling rack (you know the kind you use to cool cookies once they’re out of the oven). Spray cooling rack with Pam to insure your chicken comes off easily.
Place each chicken breast on the cooling rack and drizzle a teaspoon or so of EVOO over the tops of each one. (The cooling rack will allow air to circulate all over the chicken while baking in the oven and get the crust extra crispy).
Add chicken to the 400 degree oven (move tomatoes to the bottom rack if they’re still in there cooking). Bake chicken about 30 minutes or until golden and crunchy looking.
Top each chicken breast with fresh spinach and spoon your roasted tomatoes over the top.
Done! Now..you could serve easy cheesy chive polenta as your side dish…
Another fancy fake out food…polenta is so simple, I’m sure my 2 year old could have made it himself!
Shopping List
2 cups water
1/2 cup quick cooking polenta (it’s right there on the rice and pasta aisle)
1/4 cup cream or milk (use heavy whipping cream, half and half, regular milk…whatever you have)
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
3 tablespoons chives, chopped
lots of salt and pepper
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil. Stir in quick cooking polenta, reduce heat to low and stir constantly for about a minute. The polenta will come together almost immediately. After a minute, stir occasionally another 2-3 minutes. Add in milk, corn, cheese and chives, and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
So easy, right? It whips up in minutes. Make sure you get quick cooking polenta, it says so right on the package.
Enjoy your fancy fake out dinner tonight!
Aubrey says
Love love love it! And Nick, Ella, Kate, and my dad concur! I served the chicken and polenta with purple sprouting broccoli…YUM! This is amazing. Thanks, Shay!