Mustard Milanese with an Arugula and Fennel Salad

adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, 2012
by Katy Lonergan
serves 4 

For the chicken:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Table salt

Freshly ground pepper

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg white

2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

1½ cups coarse, heavyweight breadcrumbs, such as panko

Mix of vegetable and olive oil, for frying

For the salad:

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)

2 tablespoons whole-seed or coarse Dijon mustard

¼ cup olive oil

5 ounces baby arugula leaves

Small fennel bulb, approximately 5 ounces

For the chicken: On a cutting board with a very sharp knife, butterfly your chicken breasts, and slice them all the way through, so that you end up with four thin cutlets. With a meat pounder (not tenderizer), pound your cutlets between two pieces of plastic wrap to ¼-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap and season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.

Grab three medium baking dishes or three big plates with rims and line them on your counter. Pour the flour into the first one. In a small dish, whisk together the egg white, smooth Dijon, garlic, oregano, and lemon zest. Pour half of this mixture into the bottom of the second plate. In the third plate, spread out the breadcrumbs. Dredge each piece of chicken lightly in flour, then heavily in the egg-white-mustard mixture, and generously in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with second piece of chicken, then refill egg-white-mustard plate, and repeat with final two pieces of chicken. Arrange the breaded cutlets on a large tray or baking sheet, and chill them in the fridge for 1 hour, or up to 1 day (covered with plastic wrap). This helps set the coating.

Preheat oven to 175° F.

Pour ½ inch of oil – use a mixture of olive and vegetable oil, or the frying oil of your choice – in a large pan, and heat over medium high heat. Test the heat with a flick of water – if it hisses, you are good to go. Cook the chicken until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes on the first side and 2 to 3 minutes on the second. Remove the chicken from the heat, and salt and pepper both sides while draining on paper towels. Once it is drained, transfer chicken to a tray to keep in the warm oven. Repeat with additional oil and remaining pieces of chicken.

For the salad: In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice and mustards together, then whisk in olive oil in a thin stream. Pour three-quarters of this into a large bowl. Add arugula to the bowl. Thinly shave you fennel bulb on a mandolin or cut as thinly as you can with a sharp knife and add to the arugula.

When you are ready to serve, toss the salad. Arrange one piece of chicken from the warm oven on a plate. Drizzle a few drops of the reserved salad dressing directly onto the chicken (you’ll thank me when you try it), and pile the salad on top. Season with salt and pepper and eat immediately.

When breading the chicken, use one hand for both the flour and panko and the other hand for the egg-white-mustard mixture. This will help to avoid clumping of ingredients on your hands.