This is one of those recipes that can be morphed to serve one or twelve people, and the ingredients are so flexible that those can change to accommodate what you have on hand. I will, therefore, be infuriatingly unspecific.
Parmesan Crusted Chicken
-Chicken breast halves or tenders(I often save the tender strips from chicken breasts for just this recipe)
-egg whites and a squeeze of lemon juice if you have it
-flour (a handful)
-salt (a few pinches)
-pepper
-Parmesan cheese, grated fine
-olive oil
If using chicken breasts, not the tenders, pound them to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Put a non-stick skillet over medium heat and drizzle some olive oil into the pan. Get out three plates or bowls, and put your flour in one, the egg whites in the second, and the grated Parmesan in the third. Grind some pepper and sprinkle some salt into the flour. You could also add some other spices at this point. To the Parmesan you could add some finely chopped fresh parsley, some lemon zest, or some breadcrumbs (I don’t really like using the breadcrumbs).
Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour and shake off any excess. Then dip and coat the chicken pieces in the egg whites. Coat the pieces in a good layer of the Parmesan and gently lay in the heated skillet. Go ahead and sprinkle any extra Parmesan on top of. Some recipes recommend that you let this layer “set” before cooking, but I find that if your pan and oil are well heated the crust doesn’t come off. Cook your chicken a few minutes each side and transfer to a warm oven until the sauce finished.
The Sauce (quantities are flexible, just maintain the ratios)
The Primary Components:
-butter (5 tbs)
-heavy cream (1/2 c)
-chicken stock (1/2 c)
-salt and pepper
The Flavor Options (not to be used together):
-diced tomatoes (you can use those canned ones that come with some basil, too) (1-2 tbs)
-fresh sage leaves, chopped fine (2 -3 tsp)
-etc., etc.
The If You Have Thems:
-white wine (1/2 c)
-shallots, minced (2-3 tbs)
Melt a tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Saute your shallots if you have them. Add the cream, wine and broth. Simmer until reduced by half. Whisk in the remaining butter, add the sage/tomatoes/other seasonings.
