You know the adage about the rose by any other name? In the culinary world, many names abound for the same basic technique or dish, but the final ensemble usually tastes just about as sweet.
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Take sauces, for example. Today's chefs can create a classic butter sauce and call it a "sauce beurre blanc" or make it sound more alluring by calling it a "nage."
This week's recipe is another example of improving the allure of a dish simply by giving it a more interesting name. Here, classic breaded chicken cutlets take on the Louisiana culinary term "paneed," but the technique is an old standard. You've probably had paneed foods before, possibly without knowing it. Chicken Parmesan and the German dish Wiener schnitzel are two examples.
I'm revisiting this classic preparation, in which thin cutlets of meat, poultry or pork are given a three-step breading, then are pan-sauteed. I started with a classic Italian preparation in which chicken or veal cutlets are breaded and sauteed, then are served atop a crisp salad.
This week's paneed chicken with sauteed baby spinach springboards from the Italian classic with a few minor, flavorful changes. First, the flour used in the first breading step is given a flavor boost from lemon pepper seasoning and salt. Then, the third ingredient in the breading process gets added flavor from seasoned bread crumbs, lemon rind and dried thyme. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the sauteed chicken cutlets makes a sauce unessential here, and I've replaced the crisp salad with sauteed spinach.
When preparing the recipe, set up an assembly line with the flour mixture, beaten eggs and bread crumb mixture all in a row in separate glass baking dishes or pie plates. I like to use tongs when coating the chicken cutlets, but other chefs recommend using your fingers to lift the cutlets from one dish to the next.
Cutting whole chicken breast halves into two thin cutlets saves the step of pounding chicken into a uniform thinness, and some supermarkets have begun carrying chicken cutlets. This lemon-scented breading also pairs well with flounder, trout, sole, tilapia or other thin, mild fish.
Though the recipe calls for three tablespoons of fat in its preparation, some of the fat will remain in the pan. To decrease the fat, you can use an egg substitute or egg whites instead of the whole eggs, and you can oven "fry" the chicken on baking sheets in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Just spray the chicken cutlets with nonstick cooking spray before baking. The spinach can be wilted in a skillet coated with nonstick spray, too, eliminating the olive oil. Also, cook up two packages of spinach if you have a family of spinach lovers. One nine-ounce bag of washed baby spinach only yields about two servings of cooked spinach.
The carbohydrates in the dish can be reduced, also, by substituting low- carbohydrate baking mix for the flour and using low-carb bread to make bread crumbs.
PANEED CHICKEN WITH SAUTEED BABY SPINACH
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced horizontally into 2 cutlets
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Lemon wedges
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 9-ounce bag baby spinach
1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 1 clove
Salt and pepper, to taste
Combine the flour, lemon pepper and salt on a plate or in a shallow dish. Place the beaten egg in another shallow dish. Place the dry bread crumbs in a third shallow dish and stir in the dried thyme and lemon zest. Dip a chicken cutlet into the flour, coating both sides and shaking off excess. Next, dip into the egg, coating well, then into the seasoned bread crumbs. Place on a plate and continue until all 4 cutlets are breaded.
Heat the butter and vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is bubbling, add the chicken cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn chicken cutlets and brown on other side, cooking until done, about 3 minutes more. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and drizzle with a squeeze of the lemon wedges.
In a separate large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the spinach, garlic and salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until spinach is wilted.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 353 calories, 14 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 183 milligrams cholesterol, 877 milligrams sodium, 20 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 35 grams protein
Nutrition analysis provided by Michelle Baglio, a licensed and registered dietitian of the Augusta District Dietetic Association. Send questions via e-mail to augustadietitian@yahoo.com.
COMING FEB. 11: Pork schnitzel
See Karin prepare the recipe at noon Tuesday on WJBF-TV (Channel 6).
Write to Karin Calloway in care of The Augusta Chronicle Newsroom, P.O. Box 1928, Augusta, GA 30903. Or send e-mail to karin.calloway@comcast.net. You can find previous Quick Cooking recipes through the online archive at augustachronicle.com/karin.
