What's for Dinner? Almond Crusted Chicken Breasts



Ok, so I bought another cookbook. I know, I can't even keep up with the ones I already have.

I saw Donatella Arpaia on the Today Show and since I like her NYC restaurants, I figured why not? I can always take one of my cookbooks out of the rotation.

The book is great. Easy Italian style recipes from her childhood and great fresh entertaining ideas. A little too many glamour shots of her in gold high heels, but hey, if you got it, flaunt it.



For an easy weeknight dinner, I tried her almond panko crusted chicken breasts with a tomato salad on top. Tarragon is the key in this recipe, along with the crushed almonds.
This was super easy and super good.

Almond Crusted Chicken Breasts: (adapted from Donatella Cooks)

4 chicken breasts, pounded super thin (3/8" thickness)

2/3 cup of sliced almonds
2/3 cup of panko Japanese breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp of dried tarragon (or 1 tbsp of FRESH tarragon)
kosher salt & pepper
2 eggs
olive oil and a tablespoon of butter for the skillet

For the Tomato Salad:

20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 scallions, sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt & pepper



In a chopper or food processor, pulse the almonds a few seconds until ground.
Toss the ground almonds with the panko crumbs in a pie plate. Season with salt and pepper.
Add 1/2 tsp of dried tarragon to the crumb mixture.

Beat the eggs in another pie dish and coat your chicken breasts, one at a time, first in the egg mixture, then on both sides in the almond crumb mixture, shaking off excess.

Lay on wax paper lined baking sheets and put in the fridge for at least 20 minutes so the crumbs firm up and adhere to the chicken breasts.

While the chicken is chilling, make the tomato salad.

Place cut tomatoes in a bowl, sprinkle with kosher salt. Add scallions, lemon juice and other 1/2 tsp of tarragon. Set aside.

In a large heavy skillet, heat olive oil with a tbsp of butter on high and saute your chicken breasts about 4 minutes on each side. You will smell the almonds browning. Yum!

When chicken looks done, lay on a platter and spoon tomato salad over the breasts.
Garnish with lemon wedges and enjoy!



Comments

Steve said…
Stace,
I bought the book too, a couple of weeks ago. I'm sure Anne thinks the cover photo is a bit much, but.... I clipped the page for this recipe as well. Looks delicious. Great photos.
Steve
http://www.myfavoriteflavours.com
The JR said…
I don't see her in the kitchen cooking like that. But, it looks good on the cover of a cookbook. She's a pretty lady.

The recipe does look easy enough and I bet the flavors are super good as you said.
Claudia said…
I sneak cookbooks into the house, throw dust on them (easy to do in my home) and make-believe they've been on the shelves for years. I love the weekday simplicity of this as it is Monday a.m. and I am in my "what's easy for dinner" mode.
Dewi said…
I love to see woman cook with her high heels :)

Chicken breast looks delicious !
Dana said…
I bought three this weekend. Ack - they are taking over my house. I could never buy this book - even if it had the best recipes in world, simply because of the cover. I mean, come on. :)
Pam said…
I am loving this recipe... the almond crust sounds amazing.
AllThingsYummy said…
Looks delicious. I'm going to have to try it. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy your new cookbook.
fuat gencal said…
Hayırlı haftalar, ellerinize sağlık. Çok leziz ve iştah açıcı görünüyor.


Saygılarımla.
Jen_from_NJ said…
New cookbooks make me so happy! The chicken looks fantastic.
lisa is cooking said…
I love her willingness to argue with other judges on Iron Chef and Next I.C., and I'd cook in heels if I weren't so lazy! The coating on the chicken looks delicious.
I fliped through her book when it first came out, lots of good recipes but I agree about the glamour shots!