Baked Chicken Cutlets with Parmesan and Lemon
Instructions:
- 2 pounds skinned and boned chicken breasts or chicken cutlets (about 900 g)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1 /3 cups fine dry bread crumbs (200 g)
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated
- Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 stick of butter, cut into small pieces (120 g)
- Thin slices of lemon, anchovies, and capers, for garnish
- Parsley sprigs
- Either buy thinner sliced chicken cutlets or ask your butcher to divide each breast in half horizontally so that from each half breast you end up with 2 slices of chicken. Place each slice between sheets of waxed paper and pound the chicken until fairly thin, being careful not to tear the meat.
- Put the chicken in a shallow dish and drizzle the lemon juice over it. Turn the pieces to be sure they all get some juice. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Pat dry.
- Mix the bread crumbs with the Parmesan cheese in a shallow soup bowl. Beat the eggs in another soup bowl; season with the salt and pepper. Dip the chicken first in the eggs and then in the bread crumbs, pressing so that the crumbs adhere. Lay the slices flat on a tray. At this point they may be refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 8 hours.
- When ready to cook the chicken cutlets, heat the oven to 350 F (175 C).
- Generously butter the bottom of a large glass baking dish or a roasting pan with one-third of the butter. Arrange the breaded chicken in the dish in a single layer. Dot with the remaining butter.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 400 F (200 C) and bake for about 10 minutes longer, or until the coating is light brown.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the garnish. In the center of each lemon slice place a drained anchovy, curled with a caper in the center. Put the chicken breasts on a heated platter and place a prepared lemon slice on each one. Decorate the edges of the platter with parsley sprigs and serve at once.